BRYCE – Utah Prairie Dog Day will return to Bryce Canyon National Park on Thursday, May 9, and feature ranger-led prairie dog viewing, family-friendly activity booths and a special keynote presentation by David Eads, an ecologist with the U.S. Geologic Survey.
The event is free with park admission
“Utah Prairie Dog Day is an opportunity to learn about an animal found in no other national park,” said park wildlife biologist Macie Monahan, in a news release. “It’s also a story of recovery and survival. The cooperative efforts between Bryce Canyon National Park, state, and federal public lands agencies along with the park’s local community have helped protect not only the Utah prairie dog, but the meadow ecosystems that depend upon it. We think that’s cause for celebration.”
To help promote the event, the park held an art contest open to students in Garfield, Wayne and Kane counties. The park received artwork submissions from students depicting the Utah prairie dog in its native environment. All artwork submissions will be on display at the Visitor Center. Artwork by Naomi Milby, a fifth grader from Panguitch, is featured on this year’s poster.
For a detailed schedule, click here.
A year-round inhabitant of Bryce Canyon’s high plateau meadows, the Utah prairie dog is a critical part of the park’s meadow ecosystem. Utah prairie dogs are considered a “keystone species” as they serve a variety of important functions including aerating soil and promoting plant growth.
Over 200 other species have been associated with prairie dog colonies, including wildlife that depend upon prairie dog activity for both food and habitat. The Utah prairie dog has been listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1973 and was successfully reintroduced to the park in the 1980s. Click here for more information on the Utah prairie dog.
In the news release, the park service said several organizations played key roles in promoting the events including the Bryce Canyon Association, Bureau of Land Management, Dixie National Forest, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geologic Survey.
For more information on the park or Utah Prairie Dog Day visit the park’s website, contact the park by e-mail at [email protected] or phone at 435-834-5322.