Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mule Deer
PRAIRIEDOG
These cute little critters are not dogs at all, but members of the squirrel
family, making them rodents. The species at Bryce Canyon—the
Utah prairie
dog
—is listed as a threatened species, which both amuses and annoys southern
Utah ranchers, who consider it a pest. Utah prairie dogs are about a foot long,
reddish-tan, and have small ears. Active during the day, prairie dogs live in park
meadows in busy communities comprised of burrows, with mounds of dirt at
each entrance. These colonies are strategically located in areas that have enough
grass and other plants to sustain them, but with vegetation that is sparse and low
enough for them to be able to spot predators with enough time to dart into their
burrows. Prairie dogs seem to delight in alternately running about and standing
at attention, and their antics are popular with park visitors.
Warning:
The bacteria
that cause bubonic plague has been found on fleas in prairie dog colonies in Bryce
Canyon, so you should avoid getting too close. Plus, they bite.
Prairie Dog
PRONGHORN
Commonly seen in open fields in the vicinity of Bryce Canyon Na-
tional Park—both within and outside the park—pronghorns were reintroduced in-
to the area after practically being eliminated in the late 1800s and early 1900s. So-
metimes called the American antelope, pronghorns are usually reddish-tan, with
white on their rump, chest, stomach, lower parts of their face, and inner legs. The
fastest animals in the Western Hemisphere—and the second fastest in the world
