From skyscraping peaks and high-flung glacial lakes to flat plains and deep bowl-shaped valleys, it would surprise few to know that the great state of Colorado has just about every natural feature an outdoor lover could ask for. However, within this veritable wonderland of natural delights lie a plethora of diverse wildlife that is singularly Coloradan and, in some cases, exceedingly rare in any other part of the country.
Most imaginations might conjure a ponderous herd of elk crossing a wide valley beneath Long’s Peak in Estes Park or a small group of bighorn sheep speckling the roadside as the explorer drives across the Great Divide.
Maybe the mind’s eye draws an image of silver and rainbow trout being pulled from a crystal clear, cold mountain river or even a moose swimming in a high-mountain lake.
To be sure, each of these is a relatively common Colorado tableau. However, there is rare wildlife in the Centennial State that sometimes goes unnoticed and, in some cases, is even going extinct. Indeed, Colorado is home to three federally registered endangered species.
Read on to learn more about these endangered animals and their struggle to survive and thrive once again.
Colorado Pikeminnow
Photo Courtesy Joe Ferreira/USFWS
This Colorado fish is actually the largest minnow found in the world and was often mistaken for a “white salmon” years ago. The Colorado pikeminnow’s beginnings date back some 3 million years, and today, unfortunately, it may be on the brink of extinction. The long, torpedo-shaped fish can live up to 40 years, grow to be 6 feet long, and weigh 80 pounds, though on average, they top out at about 2 to 3 feet in length.
These remarkable and beautiful fish were first placed under federal protection in 1967 as their popularity as a food source among early 20th-century Coloradans put their numbers dangerously low. Today, the fish are protected in Colorado and Utah as their numbers are slowly beginning to climb again.
Colorado Bonytail
Photo Courtesy USFWS
This creature is the rarest of all Colorado fish on the endangered species list! The bonytail, a small Colorado minnow described as an “elegant” swimmer,” probably began life as a species between 3 and 5 million years ago. This fish was another abundant food source for settlers in the early 1900s, and as such, their numbers began to fall precipitously around the mid-20th century.
Today, under federal protection, a restocking operation is underway to help supplement the bonytail’s numbers through streamflow regulation, habitat disruption, and natural predation by other non-native species. However, the fish is still at risk of becoming extinct.
Colorado Lynx
Photo Courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife
This Colorado cat is not only one of the rarest sightings in the Centennial State but is, sadly, on the verge of becoming one of the least common around. Many, if not most, frequent explorers of the Rockies have never even seen one!
The lynx, often mistaken for a bobcat, which it shares many similarities with, is the sneaky, slippery wildcat of the Colorado mountain ranges. Unfortunately, in the latter half of the 20th century, trapping, poisoning, and the loss of its natural habitats contributed to the steep decline in the lynx population in Colorado.
Thankfully, one of the most massive reintroduction programs for carnivores began in the 1990s. It showed incredible success, with numbers climbing from only a handful left almost 40 years ago to some 150–200 monitored lynx in Colorado today.
