Fun Fish Facts
The species of trout native to Colorado
Greenback Cutthroat
Rio Grande Cutthroat
Colorado River Cutthroat
Aquatic mammals often referred to as "nature's engineers"
Beaver
Especially active in the fall, these large, omnivorous mammals go into a period of hibernation for the winter
Black bear
Large ungulate mammal with large ears, a brownish coat, and white rump that ruts from late fall to early winter
Mule deer
Freshwater mollusk that clogs pipes and other infrastructure, overfilters the water, and causes other significant ecosystem damage
Zebra mussel
*fun fact: females can produce over 1 million eggs per year
Also accepted: Quagga mussel
The four endemic species of the Colorado River Basin
Razorback Sucker
Humpback Chub
Bonytail Chub
Colorado Pikeminnow
A high altitude mammal that resides primarily in rock taluses above treeline. known for their distinct squeaks and hay piling behavior
Pika
a medium-sized to small mammal that adapts to winter conditions by changing its coat from reddish brown to white, also known for their large hind feet
Snowshoe Hare
Ungulate known for their loud bugle with antlers that can grow up to an inch per day
Elk
Amphibian native to the eastern United States but is considered invasive in Colorado. Known for its croak
Bullfrog
This fish, originally native to the pacific rim, has become one of the most widespread fish in the world and has the scientific name "Oncorhynchus mykiss"
Rainbow Trout
The state mammal of Colorado
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep
This small, high-altitude mammal can hibernate for up to 8 months in deep burrows beneath the snow. They conserve energy by slowing their heart rate and metabolism and rely on fat reserves until the spring.
Marmot
Yellow-bellied marmot
A mostly solitary ungulate with palmated antlers, mate in the fall and one of their primary predators in costal areas is orcas
moose
First introduced to Colorado through the pet trade, this semiaquatic reptile competes with native species for food and habitat, and is originally native to the Midwest
Red-eared slider turtle
The decade which smallmouth bass were introduced into the Colorado River basin
(bonus points for exact year)
1951
Nocturnal mammal native to the southwestern part of the state, a smaller relative of the raccoon family, often confused with a mink
A bird that permanently resides in the alpine tundra of Colorado mountain ranges, like the San Juans and Rocky Mountain National Park.
White-tailed Ptarmigan
This predatory mammal is the most widely distributed terrestrial mammal in the northern hemisphere
Mountain lion
First introduced to the United States in the late 1800s by Eugene Schieffelin, because he desired to introduce every bird mentioned in Shakespeare's plays
European Starling
Of the four endemic species, which one is not a member of the Cyprinidae family
Razorback Sucker
Arboreal weasel that is extremely elusive and live in subalpine forests
Pine Martins
nonmigratory songbird that survives winter by hoarding food and maintaining a high body temperature. They are known for their oversized black head and white cheeks
Black-capped Chickadee
Primarily distributed on the eastern plains, this ungulate is the fastest land mammal in North America, reaching speeds of 60mph
Pronghorn
in the class Malacostraca, this freshwater nuisance that outcompetes native animals
Rusty Crayfish