The Division of Wildlife Resources is great at sharing interesting information and dispelling myths. This week they are doing both by sharing a list of five wildlife species most do not realize live in Utah and one of which is largely found in northeastern Utah. Here’s where the dispelling of myths comes in. Utahns are famous for having campouts during which newcomers are pranked into hunting for Snipes. Well guess what? Snipes aren’t actually a “made-up animal”. They are a bird species native to Utah that live in marshes and along creeks. They also share the same 107 day hunting season with ducks and other bird species in the fall. The remaining species on the list include flying squirrels, pikas, road runners, and river otters. In Utah, river otters can primarily be seen along the Green River and in Flaming Gorge Reservoir, as well as occasionally along the Colorado, Provo, Strawberry, Duchesne, and Escalante Rivers and their tributaries.
