Have you seen or heard of these rare Utah animals?

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Utah is a diverse state, with deserts, forests, mountains, canyons, and valleys. While most might be familiar with the usual wildlife spotted around the state, some unique species aren’t often seen or talked about.

If you love animals or you’re curious about some rarely spotted animals, check out this list of wildlife that you might not know live in Utah.

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class="wp-block-heading">American pikas

While the American pika may look like a particularly big mouse, it is actually part of the lagomorph family alongside rabbits and hares. Pikas are found at high elevations in Utah, inhabiting the rocky alpines where little else can survive.

According to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) Field Guide, pikas have been spotted in 18 of Utah’s counties: Washington, Kane, Iron, Garfield, Beaver, Wayne, Sevier, Sanpete, Utah, Salt Lake, Wasatch, Rich, Summit, Daggett, Uintah, Grand, Emery, and San Juan.

Pikas are roughly seven to eight inches in length when fully grown. They have a thick coat specially adapted to survive in the temperatures found at high elevations. Pikas are foragers and mainly eat grasses and shoots. During the winter, they survive on food storage but will sometimes come out to find additional food sources when the weather permits.

Flying squirrels

Most Utahns are used to seeing a squirrel, whether it’s a red squirrel or rock squirrel. What you might not be used to seeing is the flying squirrel that’s found throughout the Beehive State.

The Northern flying squirrel is the species found in Utah, and it has been spotted throughout the majority of the state. According to the Utah DWR Field Guide, flying squirrels have been seen in these 18 counties: Rich, Morgan, Salt Lake, Summit, Daggett, Uintah, Duchesne, Wasatch, Utah, Juab, Carbon, Sanpete, Millard, Sevier, Beaver, Garfield, Iron, and Washington.

Flying squirrels are nocturnal and use a membrane on their limbs to glide between tree branches. They eat fungi, lichens, nuts, seeds, insects, and fruits. The animals build nests in hollow trees and will often come to the ground to forage for food.

Ringtails

According to Zion National Park, ringtails are a relative of the raccoon, but are rarely seen. The mammals are strictly nocturnal and spend their nights hunting rodents. They’re very small, weighing around two pounds and measuring up to 32 inches long (not including that fluffy tail, which can add an extra foot to their length).

Ringtails are well-adapted to Zion National Park but have been sighted elsewhere in the state. According to the Utah DWR Field Guide, the animal has been spotted in Salt Lake, Duchesne, Daggett, Uintah, Juab, Millard, Emery, Piute, Beaver, Iron, Garfield, San Juan, and Washington Counties.

The ringtail has semi-retractable claws and is quite acrobatic, Zion National Park says. They are known to climb most walls and trees, and are capable of fitting in small spaces. Ringtails are omnivorous and primarily eat animals smaller than themselves, fruits, berries, and anything else they find.

River otters

The Northern river otter is found throughout most of the U.S., but they are particularly elusive in the Beehive State. According to the DWR Field Guide, populations across Utah are small, but there have been sightings in 17 of Utah’s counties: Box Elder, Cache, Rich, Morgan, Summit, Daggett, Uintah, Duchesne, Salt Lake, Wasatch, Utah, Carbon, Grand, San Juan, Wayne, Garfield, and Kane.

River otters are mainly found along creeks and rivers, and are active year-round, even in deep snow. An adult otter is roughly two feet long and weighs around 20 pounds. The animals often live in burrows created by other animals or under overhanging roots and banks near rivers. They eat crayfish, fish, frogs, and insects (and sometimes small mammals or birds).

Historically, river otter populations in Utah (and other parts of the U.S.) declined due to trapping and stream alterations for agriculture or development. DWR has made an effort to reintroduce river otters, but estimating their populations is difficult because they can be confused for other animals like minks and beavers.

Utah prairie dogs

While you’ve probably spotted prairie dogs before, did you know Utah has its very own species? The Utah prairie dog is the only mammal found exclusively in Utah, according to the DWR.

Utah prairie dog populations declined steeply during the 1920s due to lethal control, disease (they are highly vulnerable to the plague), and habitat loss due to development and agriculture. With efforts from DWR and other agencies, the populations have been rebounding, and work continues to conserve this unique species.

When looking for a home, Utah prairie dogs seek out “flat ground with good moisture and minimal shrubs,” which is also what agriculture looks for. They spend winters hibernating in burrows underground in these areas.

Like other species, Utah prairie dogs are known to bark and chase any danger near their burrows. According to Bryce Canyon National Park, prairie dogs have one of the most advanced animal languages and can construct sentences.

The animals, which mainly live in southwestern Utah, can sometimes move onto farmland and eat crops, or even move into burial sites. DWR has permits and processes for safely and legally removing Utah prairie dogs from your property.

Black-footed ferrets

According to the DWR Field Guide, the black-footed ferret is sometimes called “the rarest mammal in North America.” These ferrets were once thought to be extinct in the U.S., but a wild population was found in Wyoming, and their descendants were slowly reintroduced into other states.

Black-footed ferrets have been sighted in Utah, but those have all been unconfirmed and rare. The animals usually live in the burrows of prairie dogs and eat them. Because they depend on prairie dogs for shelter and food, they face the same threats as them, such as disease and lethal control.

Though sightings are rare, DWR does believe that they are still reproducing and living in the state, mainly in areas where prairie dogs are found. Black-footed ferrets are around two feet long as adults and generally weigh less than three pounds. DWR has released these animals into the Coyote Basin in Uintah County to support wild populations.