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A Living Canyon:

Discovering Life at Grand Canyon

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon's scale and beauty overwhelm 

the senses and inspire awe. At first glance 

the great chasm appears lifeless, but thousands 

of interconnected plants and animals bring this 

magnificent stone wilderness to life.

The canyon's extreme elevation changes and dramatic 

topography produce a range of climates, creating homes 

for a surprisingly rich diversity of living things. These 

organisms' interactions with and adaptations to this rugged 

environment define Grand Canyon's ecology. 

This living canyon is only one part of a larger story. Its 

forests, deserts, and rivers do not begin or end with Grand 

Canyon, just as threats to this ecosystem do not exist only 

inside park boundaries. As global climate changes, plants and 

animals must adapt or they will die.

Whether by foot, bicycle, shuttle bus, or car, Grand Canyon 

provides you with unique opportunities to explore diverse 

biological communities and make your own discoveries.
Mixed Conifer Forest

Merriam's Canadian life zone

See pages 4–5.

Located only on the North Rim, this community is the highest and 

coolest in the park. Life here adapts to an extreme winter climate. 

Summer temperatures: 75°F (24°C)–44°F (7°C)

Winter temperatures: 39°F (4°C)–17°F (-8°C)

Precipitation: Averages 25 inches (64 cm) per year, including 11 feet 

(3.5 m) of snow

These forests thrive on the North Rim and South Rim, acting as a 

transition zone between the mixed conifer forest and pinyon-juniper 

woodland. Air temperatures are slightly cooler and precipitation is 

slightly greater than the pinyon-juniper woodland.

This mixture of trees flourishes inside the canyon and along the 

warm, sunny areas of canyon rim. The trees are shorter because this 

community receives less precipitation than higher elevation forests. 

Summer temperatures: 82°F (28°C)–50°F (10°C)

Winter temperatures: 44°F (7°C)–20°F (-7°C)

Precipitation: Averages 15 inches (38 cm) per year, including 5 feet 

(1.5 m) of snow

Found down inside Grand Canyon, this is the hottest and driest 

community. Life here adapts to extreme heat and a very dry climate.

Summer temperatures: 103°F (39°C)–74°F (23°C)

Winter temperatures: 58°F (14°C)–32°F (-0°C)

Precipitation: Averages 9 inches (23 cm) per year, including 2 inches 

(5 cm) of snow

Riparian areas of the inner canyon include springs, seeps, and streams, 

as well as the Colorado River and its banks. Precious water allows for 

a rich diversity of life, even though air temperatures and precipitation 

amounts resemble the desert scrub community. 

Living Communities

Five distinct biotic communities exist in Grand Canyon's 

ecosystem. Interdependent plants and animals comprise 

each unique community. Elevation, light, temperature, 

slope, aspect, precipitation, and natural disturbances—

such as fire and flood—contribute to the complexity and 

dynamics of these communities. As you travel through the 

park and beyond, notice how your surroundings gradually 

change.

Pinyon-Juniper Woodland

Merriam's upper Sonoran 

life zone

See pages 10–11.

Ponderosa Pine Forest

Merriam's transition life zone 

See pages 6–7.

Riparian

See pages 14-15.

Desert Scrub

Merriam's lower Sonoran 

life zone

See pages 12–13.
El Tovar Hotel

Indian Garden

Colorado River

Phantom Ranch

Life Zones of Grand Canyon

In 1889, C. Hart Merriam, head of the 

United States Biological Survey, studied 

Grand Canyon and the San Francisco 

Peaks, near Flagstaff, Arizona. In 50 short 

miles (80 km) from the summit of the 

peaks to the bottom of Grand Canyon, 

Merriam encountered 10,000 feet 

(3,048 m) of elevation change and 

observed the biological equivalent of 

traveling 1,750 miles (2,816 km) from 

Canada to Mexico. 

South Rim

8000

7000

6000

5000

4000

3000

2000

Elevation(feet)

Merriam revolutionized the concept of life 

zones, which forms the basis of modern 

ecology. He alleged that temperature 

alone dictated life in each zone. Today, we 

study communities instead of life zones 

and understand that many more factors 

contribute to each biotic community. How 

does Merriam inspire you to investigate 

Grand Canyon? 
Cottonwood

Grand Canyon Lodge

North Rim

Elevation(meters)

2440

2130

1830

1525

1220

915

600

© Lisa Kearsley

What Makes Grand Canyon So Special?

The park's diverse biotic communities provide a range of 

opportunities for many different species of plants and animals 

to thrive. In fact, Grand Canyon hosts the highest number of 

plant species of any national park. How many will you find?

Vascular Plants: 1,750 species 

Birds: 373 species 

Mammals: 92 species 

Fish: 18 species (5 native)

Reptiles and Amphibians: 57 

species

Invertebrates: 8,480 known 

species

Exotic (non-native) 

Animals: 23 species

Plants: 198 species

Endemic (found only in 

the park)

Animals: 20 species

Plants: 9 species

Look for numbers ( , , , etc.) in this brochure. Each species 

identified with a number is described on the back page.

What Is the Key to Desert Life?

Water—summer monsoon rain 

and winter snow play a vital 

role in shaping Grand Canyon's 

communities. Monsoons form 

when warm air from the south 

rises and cools over northern 

Arizona, creating quickly 

moving, violent thunderstorms. 

Conversely, winter storms 

originate from the north and west, 

bringing precipitation as snow. Data from Park Profile 2014
Mixed Conifer Forest

An Eventful Life

The high elevations of the North Rim produce a short, 

frenzied growing season. Dense, dark spruce and fir forests 

broken by bright, open meadows dominate this landscape. 

In late spring and summer, these meadows will delight you 

with colorful wildflowers and a symphony of bird songs. 

Quaking aspen mix with conifers, often sprouting in areas 

disturbed by fire. 

Aspen trees dropping their festive gold leaves signal 

winter's approach. The meadows appear stark as plants 

become dormant. Some animals busily prepare for winter, 

scurrying to store food. Others simply avoid winter through 

hibernation or migration, just as many of you hide inside or 

travel to warmer climates when the snow falls.

In winter, each species must endure or avoid the deep snow 

and cold temperatures. Evergreen trees survive with the 

help of tough, narrow needles packed with chemicals that 

act like antifreeze. This needle adaptation helps them use 

every warm day for photosynthesis and growth. 

More than Meets the Eye

Your trip to the North Rim is 

not complete unless you see 

deer graze in the meadows. 

This fragile and unique 

ecosystem comprises only 

0.003% of the park. Found 

interspersed with the mixed 

conifer forest, meadows 

feature amazing diversity, with 

15–30 plant species per 0.1 acre 

(0.4 ha). Approximately 90% of 

the grasses, sedges, and other 

plants are native. 

While meadows cover only a 

tiny area, their rich and healthy 

habitat indicates good air 

quality—though visibility may 

be reduced due to air pollution 

blowing through from other 

regions. What can you do to 

reduce air pollution in your 

daily life to protect Grand 

Canyon's meadows? 

Above photo NPS / Tom Bean

Top background photo nps / Tom Bean

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4 A Living Canyon: Discovering Life at Grand Canyon
People vs. Predators vs. Prey

As settlers arrived on the North Rim, fears for personal 

safety, loss of livestock, and the desire to protect deer and 

other game animals led to the systematic extermination of 

many predators. Hunters killed all the wolves (Canis lupus). 

Mountain lions and bobcats narrowly escaped the same fate.

Overhunting, missing predators, and open grasslands 

meant the deer population exploded and overgrazed native 

plants in the forests and meadows. Thousands of deer ate 

themselves out of food and starved to death during winter 

1924–25.

Predator populations slowly recover, and we now 

understand the essential role predators play in maintaining 

a healthy balance with their prey. Though wolves have not 

returned, park biologists now study a relatively healthy 

mountain lion population and how these predators interact 

with their prey, desert bighorn sheep. 

An estimated 800 mountain lions, 550 bobcats, 30 wolves, 

and 5,000 coyotes were killed prior to 1931.

background photo NPS

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Grand Canyon National Park 5
An Inviting Openness

On a warm day near Grandview Point, you may smell the 

faint aroma of vanilla or butterscotch and see some of the 

tallest trees on the South Rim. This sweet scent radiates 

from the ponderosa pine. These towering pines, with 

straight trunks, long needles, and orange bark, thrive in 

the cooler, wetter areas along the canyon's edge. As you 

approach Cape Royal on the North Rim, look for this plant 

community between the mixed conifer forest and pinyon–

juniper woodland.

Ponderosa pines adapt to the region's dry climate with a 

widespread root system and long taproot. Competition for 

moisture, nutrients, and sunlight, coupled with frequent 

fire, creates open forests. Thickets of Gambel's oak grow 

scattered through this plant community, providing an 

important food source and shelter for wildlife. Listen for 

the Steller's jay scolding from a treetop and perhaps catch 

a glimpse of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) strutting 

through the forest.

Do You See the Difference?

The tassel-eared Abert's squirrel 

(left) on the South Rim and 

Kaibab squirrel (right) on the 

North Rim share a common 

ancestor. The canyon acts as 

a barrier between the two 

squirrels. Genetic changes 

that occurred because of this 

isolation brought about a distinct 

coloration in each species. The 

North Rim is the only place in 

the world where the Kaibab 

squirrel lives.

Above left photo © US Forest Service; 

Coconino National Forest

above right photo © J.G. Hall

Top background photo nps / Tom Bean

Ponderosa Pine Forest

Hidden Connection

Tassel-eared squirrels thrive almost exclusively in ponderosa pine forests, sharing one of Grand Canyon's 

closest bonds. The squirrels feed on every part of the ponderosa pine: pollen, cones, seeds, inner bark, and 

mycorrhizae (a fungus on the roots that helps trees absorb water). Through their scat, the squirrels 

provide nutrients and spread the helpful fungus which benefits the trees.

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6 A Living Canyon: Discovering Life at Grand Canyon
During the last 100 years, 

humans altered the forest 

around you by suppressing 

wildfires. Before settlement, 

old-growth ponderosa pine 

forests featured open, grasscovered spaces. Now, you 

see thick underbrush and 

dense debris in many places. 

Unfortunately, this generates 

hotter, faster fires that have 

the potential to consume all 

of the large trees in a forest. 

Today, fire managers work to 

safely restore the forest using 

natural and prescribed fire, 

hazard fuel reduction, and 

fire effects monitoring. Their 

efforts return balance to the 

ecosystem and prepare the 

forest to face future climate 

changes. 

In 1902 (left), the Matthes Survey encountered a naturally open 

ponderosa pine forest. Decades of wildfire suppression resulted 

in a much denser forest (right).

Above (left) photo NPS

Above (right) photo © US Forest Service, 

Coconino National Forest

Background photo NPS

A Powerful and Creative Process

Forest fire—what comes to mind? While this word may 

conjure terrifying images for you, the ponderosa pine 

forest requires this ingredient to survive. Lightning often 

accompanies summer monsoon storms, bringing the 

potential for forest fires. Naturally occurring, low-intensity 

fires clear the forest and add crucial nutrients to the soil. 

These fires reduce competition, allowing trees to grow tall 

and healthy. 

With specialized adaptations, ponderosa pine thrives under 

natural fire conditions. Deeper root systems provide safety 

from ground fires. The thick, fire-resistant bark of mature 

trees shelter it from all but the most intense forest fires. 

 Our Changing Views

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Grand Canyon National Park 7
Resident Regulars

Grand Canyon Generalists

While some animals survive in specific 

communities, others thrive nearly 

anywhere. No matter which Grand Canyon 

community you visit, your best chance to 

see wildlife is to walk quietly and look for 

one of these resourceful creatures: raven, 

rock squirrel, deer, coyote, or elk. 

Do Not Feed Me

Approaching or feeding wildlife is 

prohibited and dangerous. Seemingly tame 

animals are wild and may injure you or a 

loved one. Many animals carry diseases 

that can be transmitted to humans. Animals 

develop a dependency on human food and 

are more likely to die younger. For your 

safety—and the animals'—view wildlife 

from a safe distance of 75 feet (23 m).

NPS nps / michael quinn

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8 A Living Canyon: Discovering Life at Grand Canyon
Back from the Brink 

The California condor, largest bird in 

North America, is a scavenger with a 

wingspan up to 9.5 feet (2.9 m). Shootings, 

habitat loss, and lead poisoning almost 

caused their extinction. In 1996, biologists 

reintroduced condors to Arizona and now, 

some condors use remote caves in Grand 

Canyon as nest sites.

Today, the greatest threat to condors 

remains poisoning. Unbeknownst to them, 

the birds ingest lead bullet fragments in the 

animal carcasses they feed on outside the 

park. Land managers promote using non–

lead ammunition, which helps preserve and 

expand the current endangered condor 

population. 

NPS nps / michael quinn

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Grand Canyon National Park 9
Bluebird Feast

In early winter, bluebirds relish 

the small, succulent pink berries 

of juniper mistletoe. Mistletoe 

is a partial parasite, dependent 

on its host tree for water and 

minerals, but feeds itself by 

photosynthesis in its yellowishgreen stems.

Above photo NPS

Top background photo © nps / Tom Bean

Life in Dry Woodlands

Hot, dry breezes rise from inside the canyon. Thin soils 

close to the canyon's edge hold little water, and trees 

grow short, gnarled, and twisted. Trees conserve precious 

water with waxy coatings on their needles or scale-like 

leaves. Though it does not appear lush, the pinyon-juniper 

woodland houses fascinating relationships. 

Animals bring life to this community. Pinyon jays coevolved with pinyon pines: they eat and spread massive 

amounts of pine nuts—not a true nut, but a seed—storing 

them in soil miles away to return to and eat later. Every few 

years, when the pinyons put out a bumper crop of pine 

nuts, the jays cache far more than they need for food, giving 

birth to a new generation of trees.

American robins (Turdus migratorius), bluebirds, coyotes, 

and gray foxes all depend on the berries—or modified 

cones—of the Utah juniper for a year-round food source. 

You may see the beginnings of a new juniper with a bit of 

organic fertilizer attached. Look for these large tan seeds or 

blue berries in orange-brown coyote scat.

Pinyon-Juniper Woodland

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 Invasive Elk

You Can Save a Life

The seemingly bare ground between large plants is rarely 

unoccupied. Extremely sensitive biological soil crust takes 

decades to form. These crusts play important roles in 

reducing soil erosion and increasing water conservation. 

You can prevent damage to delicate vegetation by walking 

on established trails. 

On the South Rim, off–trail 

foot traffic nearly trampled one 

miniature, ground-hugging 

member of the pea family out 

of existence. Today, fencing 

protects the endangered sentry 

milk-vetch, a plant that only 

grows along the canyon's edge 

in narrow bands atop the porous 

Kaibab Formation. 

Park botanists are experts at 

growing and replanting this 

fragile plant where careless 

footsteps almost eliminated it. 

Your actions to stay on trails 

can protect this community, 

including its endangered and 

endemic species.

Viewing the large elk herds in 

the park is exciting. However, 

park managers consider 

non-native species, like elk, 

invasive to Grand Canyon. 

In the early 1900s, humans 

introduced Rocky Mountain 

elk into Arizona. Elk migrated 

north from the Williams area 

and eventually made a home 

at Grand Canyon. They survive 

here quenching their thirst 

on unnatural water sources 

and feasting on non-native 

grass. What role can you play 

to manage non-native species 

where you live?

Above photo nps / michael quinn

Top right photo NPS / michael quinn

middle right photo NPS / michael quinn

bottom right photo NPS

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Grand Canyon National Park 11

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Adaptations to Desert Life

If you hike down into Grand Canyon, with every step you 

will quickly discover it gets hotter and dryer. Elevation 

and temperatures at Phantom Ranch, at the bottom of the 

canyon, equate to those found in Phoenix, Arizona. Here, 

limited precipitation comes as cold, gentle winter rain and 

violent summer monsoon thunderstorms. 

The Sonoran, Mohave, and Great Basin deserts meet in 

Grand Canyon, sustaining a rich diversity of life. Following 

a wet winter, spring wildflowers will delight and amaze 

you. The beautiful descending whistle of the canyon wren 

(Catherpes mexicanus) adds a memorable soundtrack to 

your hike.

Nocturnal animals, such as ringtails, owls (Order 

Strigiformes), and bats (Order Chiroptera), avoid the 

scorching heat by resting during the day and emerging from 

shelters at night. This useful adaptation helps them survive 

the extreme heat. Take a hint from these animals and avoid 

hiking in mid–day heat. 

Riparian Oases in the Desert

Springs and seeps make up just 0.01% of Grand 

Canyon's landscape, but species concentrations 

may be 500 times that of the surrounding desert. 

Essential to life, these enchanting places showcase 

delicate maidenhair fern (Adiantum sp.), yellow 

Hiking Down into Grand 

Canyon in Spring? 

Keep your eyes out for 12-foot 

(3.7 m) tall flowering yellow 

stalks. While some plants bloom 

annually, the century plant 

blooms only once after 15–25 

years and then dies. Ancestral 

Puebloan people and the 

Havasupai Tribe made baskets 

and hair brushes from this 

plant's fibers. 

Above photo © Jo Suomala 

Top background photo nps / Tom Bean

Desert Scrub

columbine (Aquilegia flavescens), and crimson 

monkey flower (Mimulus cardinalis). Each unique 

water source provides a home to plants or insects, 

some of which are found nowhere else on Earth. 

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(

Climate Chroniclers

Ancient hoarders provide a glimpse into 

Grand Canyon's past. Packrat (Neotoma spp.) urine 

solidifies middens containing evidence of seeds, leaves, 

and bones collected nearby. Middens can survive more 

than 30,000 years in this dry climate, providing wonderful 

snapshots of past environments.

Middens, along with giant ground sloth (Order Pilosa) 

dung, condor bones, and pollen preserved in caves, 

illustrate stable, colder temperatures 11,700 years ago. Some 

plant species, such as the limber pine (Pinus flexilis), have 

since disappeared from Grand Canyon. Other species, like 

juniper, are now only found at higher elevations. 

Although climates always change, human activities 

currently accelerate this process. Park managers implement 

sustainable practices that decrease greenhouse gas 

emissions, conserve water, increase recycling, and use 

alternative energy and fuels. What daily practices do you 

use to protect your planet?

Some, such as Roaring Springs below the North 

Rim, provide drinking water for visitors. Proposed 

mining claims and new developments near the 

park threaten springs by drawing water from 

aquifers extending beyond park boundaries. 

 Windows to the Past

What will packrats find 

at Grand Canyon in the 

centuries to come? Our own 

daily actions influence global 

climate, which in turn affects 

the plants that grow here 

and the animals that depend 

on them. Will future packrat 

middens contain the same 

seeds and bones they do 

today?

Above photo of midden © Nancy E. 

Muleady-Mecham

Park scientists study the springs, seeps, and 

streams, as well as the hydrology of the 

surrounding plateaus, applying the best science 

to protect this life-giving resource. How can you 

reduce your water use where you live?

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Grand Canyon National Park 13
Overcoming Obstacles

The Colorado River originates in Colorado's Rocky 

Mountains and flows over 1,400 miles (2,253 km) to the 

Gulf of California. As it runs 277 miles (446 km) through 

Grand Canyon, it loses 2,000 feet (610 m) of elevation, 

averages 300 feet (91 m) wide, and 40 feet (12 m) deep. 

The river, together with its tributaries, seeps, and springs, 

comprises the riparian community of Grand Canyon.

Construction of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963 brought about 

a series of changes to the river and its ecosystem. However, 

the powerful waterway still exists as a safe haven for several 

native species of fish – including the endangered humpback 

chub (Gila cypha), speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus), 

flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis), bluehead 

sucker (Catostonus discobolus), and razorback sucker 

(Xyrauchen texanus). Endangered razorback sucker were 

even discovered spawning here in 2014 for the first time 

in decades. Active management of these native fishes by 

National Park Service biologists enables the Colorado River 

to continue to be a significant regional refuge for these 

unique species.

Riparian

A Complex Condition

Since the Glen Canyon Dam introduced a steadier flow regime and eliminated spring floods, tamarisk 

(Tamarix spp.)—an invasive shrub—dominates beaches throughout Grand Canyon. However, tamarisk 

attracts insects, providing food for birds and animals. In fact, Bell's vireo (Vireo bellii), a bird in decline 

across its range, extended its range more than 100 miles (161 km) upriver because of the food provided 

in these new nesting sites. 

Why Do Tributaries Matter?

At Grand Canyon, 768 year-round 

and intermittent streams and 

rivers flow into the Colorado 

River. The canyon's intricate 

system of tributaries survived the 

construction of Glen Canyon Dam, 

and today National Park Service 

biologists use these protected 

places to manage native fish 

species. 

Using a method called tributary 

translocation, biologists 

transport populations of native 

fish to tributary environments 

downstream in western 

Grand Canyon. Warmer water 

temperatures and fewer 

nonnative predators provide the 

ideal conditions the fish need to 

reproduce. 

Above photo nps

Top background photo nps / nic k. berezenko

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Characteristic Pre-Glen Canyon Dam Post-Glen Canyon Dam

Reddish-brown, sediment-laden.

33–40oF (0.5–4.4oC) winter. 

75–85oF (24–29oC) summer.

Plentiful. Renewed by annual flooding.

Scoured from beaches during annual 

flooding. Little plant life growing in 

river due to sediment load.

Limited. Unregulated.

Seasonal. Scoured debris and rebuilt 

beaches. Scoured vegetation from 

river edge.

Free-flowing river through natural, 

wild canyon. Provided wildlife habitat 

and scenic beauty.

Cold and clear except when tributaries 

contribute sediment.

Near 48oF (9oC) year round. Warms 

slightly during summer and downstream.

Dramatic decrease in size and number.

Increased growth to water's edge. 

Dominated by tamarisk. Single-celled 

diatoms and algae growing in river.

Very popular for rafting. Strictly 

regulated.

Controlled or human-made. Much 

smaller scale and duration.

Full of water and sediment. 

Created Lake Powell and its recreational 

activities.

Sandbars/Beaches

Vegetation

Human Activity

Floods

Glen Canyon

Water Color

Water Temperature

Effects of Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River

Grand Canyon's dynamic ecosystem 

provides a sanctuary for an incredible 

diversity of life. While the biological communities 

inside the canyon may be different from those on 

the rim, relationships between living things and 

their adaptations to the environment connect all 

parts of this remarkable place.

The qualities that make Grand Canyon an important refuge 

for plants and animals also make it an important retreat 

for humans in a time when access to nature is increasingly 

limited. It is truly a place of exploration, wonder, and 

discovery for you to enjoy and protect.

Tread carefully. Your actions impact every community you 

visit because everything is connected. Whether at Grand 

Canyon National Park or in your own neighborhood, you 

have the power to positively influence your surroundings 

and help protect natural places for future generations.

Grand Canyon National Park 15
Further Information

Field Guide to the Grand Canyon by Stephen R. Whitney 

Field Guide to the Grand Canyon (Pocket Naturalist Series) 

by James Kavanagh

nps.gov/grca/learn/nature

Watercolor and sketches © John D. Dawson

Cover photo: Desert bighorn sheep © Mike Buchheit 

Printed on 100% recycled paper 0915

Plants and Animals Featured in this Brochure

 Desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni)

 Blue spruce (Picea pungens)

 Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

 Silvery lupine (Lupinus argenteus)

 Wholeleaf Indian paintbrush (Castilleja integra)

 Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)

 Hairy woodpecker (Piciodes villosus)

 Abert's squirrel (Scurius aberti aberti)

 Kaibab squirrel (Scurius aberti kaibabensis)

 Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)

 Harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex sp.)

 Steller's jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)

 Gambel's oak (Quercus gambelii)

 Mountain lion (Felis concolor)

 Common raven (Corvus corax)

 Cliff chipmunk (Tamias dorsalis)

 Coyote (Canis latrans)

 Rock squirrel (Otospermophilus variegatus)

 California condor (Gymnogyps californianus)

 Western bluebird (Sialia mexicana)

 Gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)

 Claret cup cactus (Echinocereus mojavensis)

 Beetle (Order Coleoptera)

 Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni)

 Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma)

 Pinyon pine (Pinus edulis)

 Sentry milk-vetch (Astragalus cremnophylax var. cremnophylax)

 Century plant (Agave utahensis)

 Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

 Sacred datura (Datura wrightii)

 Spider wasp (Family Pompilidae)

 Grand Canyon rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus abyssus)

 Ringtail (Bassariscus astutus)

 Canyon tree frog (Hyla arenicolor) 

 Costa's hummingbird (Calypte costae)

 Snowy egret (Egretta thula)

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EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICATM

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior