Greenback Cutthroat Trout
The Greenback cutthroat trout survives only in small parts of the Arkansas and South Platte River systems. All three of our region’s surviving native cutthroat trout species are threatened with extinction; no more than 17 populations of pure Greenback are thought to survive.
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Uncompahgre Fritillary
The Uncompahgre fritillary is the last butterfly species to be discovered in the United States. Intensive collecting, overgrazing by domestic livestock, periods of prolonged drought conditions, mining activity, and an increase in alpine recreation have coincided with a dramatic population decline of the butterfly.
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Wolverine
These small, yet fierce predators are the largest member of the weasel family. In the summer of 2009, Colorado’s first confirmed wolverine in 90 years took up residence in Rocky Mountain National Park.
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White-tailed Prairie Dog
The white-tailed prairie dog resembles other prairie dog species, but its white-tipped tail and dark cheek and eyebrow patches are distinctive. Unfortunately, prairie dogs share more than just looks – plague, poisoning, shooting, and habitat loss have caused major declines in all five species.
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Ute Ladies’-Tresses Orchid
This foot-tall orchid, with its ivory-colored flowers, prefers open, marshy meadows. Loss of habitat through agriculture and development are the main threats to the survival of this species.
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Pariette Cactus
The Pariette cactus is one of Utah’s most beautiful and endangered wildlflowers. A proposal for more than 900 wells in the one Uinta Basin drainage where it lives now threatens its very survival.
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Parachute Penstemon
Parachute penstemon is a beautiful native wildflower, one of the rarest in North America. Known from only five locations on the Roan Plateau in western Colorado, it faces enormous threats from oil and gas drilling.
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Mexican Spotted Owl
Mexican spotted owls inhabit remote canyons and old-growth Douglas fir forests of the four corners states. This secretive species with distinctive brown eyes has greatly declined because of habitat loss as a result of logging. In 1993 when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Mexican spotted owl as Threatened, it was estimated that only around 2,100 owls remained.
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Greater Sage-Grouse
The Greater sage-grouse is a striking bird with pointed tail feathers and elaborate courting rituals. Loss of habitat from oil and gas drilling, overgrazing, and increased development of sagebrush ecosystems continue to threaten the habitat of this iconic western species.
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Canada Lynx
Our campaign to protect and recover the Canada lynx represents an effort to bring back a native cat we had all but wiped out in the Southern Rockies.
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Boreal Toad
The boreal toad of the southern Rocky Mountains inhabits high elevation montane forests and is Colorado’s only alpine amphibian.
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GIS Department Released from the Office! 7/30
Breaking News! The majority of the GIS Department, Alison and Connor were released into the wild!
Summer party a great success! Thank you all! 7/13
Thanks to everyone that came out on Friday to celebrate with us! Drive Fast, Turn Left entertained us with some phenomenal bluegrass numbers and our generous party sponsors provided all kinds of tasty food and frosty ones! We’ll see you all for another round next summer!
Witnessing Wildlife 6/18
Most folks wouldn’t consider a rate of .3 mi/hr a successful day of hiking. But it’s pretty fascinating what happens when you slow down and take a good look around you…