Because of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park’s vertical nature, there are all sorts of rim-to-river environments in which you might spot one or more of the 258 animal species calling this national park in Colorado home. This includes 59 mammal species, 174 bird species, 13 native and non-native fish species, 11 reptile species, and one amphibian species.

Bighorn rams, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park / NPS - J. Stringfield

Squirrels, rabbits, deer, bears, marmots, and maybe even a weasel are the more common species you might see during a visit to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. You might also see a garter snake, a gopher snake, or a sagebrush lizard. Rarer, but still possible in terms of sightings are bighorn sheep, elk, river otters, and wildcats.

Western tanager, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park / NPS - D. Goodman

Remember to pack your binoculars or telephoto lenses for spotting such birds as the Western tanager, mountain bluebird, or Cooper’s hawk. Year-round residents of the park include the American dipper (aka water ouzel), canyon wren, spotted towhee, Steller’s jay, dusky grouse, and great horned owl.

When wildlife watching, there are a few things about which you should be mindful.

According to park staff:

Know Before You Go

• Familiarize yourself with the birds and mammals of the area
• Know what time of day animals are active
• Learn about their habitat
• Learn wildlife signs such as tracks and scat
• Bring binoculars or a camera lens with zoom capabilities
• Wear clothing that blends in with environment
• Take a hike or walk and tread quietly
• Sit still and watch from behind cover
• Leave dogs at home, they often scare wildlife away

Be Respectful

• Never disrupt, approach or attempt to feed wild animals
• Never approach nesting or denning sites; this could be detrimental to the survival of the young
• Back off immediately if the animal seems stressed, agitated, or angry
• Respect the space and territory of wildlife

Safe wildlife viewing distances, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park / NPS graphic

Wildlife Photography

Plateau fence lizard, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park / NPS - J. Stringfield

There are two ways you can capture a great wildlife shot:

1. via telephoto lens
2. as part of a landscape image

Wildlife is always on the move. They don’t really care to pose for the photographer, and they do NOT want the photographer getting too close to them. To capture a sharp portrait of that moving wildlife, a telephoto lens (aka “long lens”) and a “fast” camera are called for.

A telephoto lens can be anything from 70-200mm, 100-400mm, 200-600mm, or a big, honkin’ prime lens with a 500mm, 600mm, or 800mm focal length. But, you don’t have to purchase any of them, you know. Renting a lens will cost you a fraction of the full price and there are several online lens rental companies out there, including lensrentals.com, cameralensrentals.com, and lensprotogo.com. Just Google “camera lens rentals” and see what pulls up.

A “fast” camera is one that has a high fps (frames per second) rate. This can range from 20 fps to 30+ fps when using the “burst method.” What is that? The burst method means you are holding your finger (or wireless/corded shutter release) down on the camera shutter button for several successive “clicks.” Out of all those shots will be one (probably more) sharp, clear image of that wildlife.

So, what if you don’t have access to a long lens? Or, what if you forgot to bring it with you for your trip, or left it in your vehicle or lodge room? Or what if the telephoto lens on your camera is just not strong enough for a frame-filling animal headshot? Get a landscape shot of that wildlife, instead. Yes, that grazing herd of wildlie will be further away, but you’ll capture a beautiful landscape image showing your audience not only the wildlife seen in the park, but also the environment in which wildlife lives and roams.

Regardless of what kind of telephoto lens or setting you use, always remember to keep your distance from the wildlife. Respect the wildlife.

Click here then scroll down about halfway to access a species list you can view as a PDF or download as a .csv file.