Wildlife Viewing in the Silver State

Submitted by: Margie Klein (Conservation Educator, NDOW)

For those outdoor enthusiasts whose idea of shooting features a camera, Nevada offers a wide variety of wildlife viewing opportunities.  Nationwide, wildlife viewing is fast becoming one of the top economic drivers in the tourism category.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported in 2006 that participants spend more than $45 billion annually on wildlife watching activities.  Moreover, the report estimated that 71 million people participate in the activity nationwide – a 13% increase over the previous 10 years.  And though it may seem strange to some, more than half of wildlife watchers are sportsmen.  Wildlife viewing, however, isn’t just for the tourists.  With so many new residents hailing from other parts of the country, there is a real interest in finding community ties.  What better way to get invested in a new locale than by connecting with nature?  Folks looking for knowledge about their local environment are visiting parks, management areas, forests and refuges.  Participants are interested in what they can see, when they can see it and where.  They also want tips for enjoying the wildlife viewing experience in a responsible manner, but many don’t know what they’re looking for.  NDOW is answering the call by providing accurate species lists and wildlife viewing educational programs.  The agency is also embracing the world of social networking and can now be found on Twitter.  Check us out at http://twitter.com/NvDOW.  Check out some of the outstanding viewing opportunities statewide:

Southern Region

Though most people probably wouldn’t consider Southern Nevada a haven for wildlife, there are those who know better.  In fact, during recent years, this part of the Silver State has seen a significant increase in the number of people who participate in wildlife viewing.  This increase was reflected in the success of the inaugural Wings & Wildlife Festival held recently in Laughlin.  NDOW helped to organize the Wings and Wildlife Festival, which took place in March of this year.  The first-time event saw over two hundred people in attendance.  Events offerings included seminars, birding and wildlife viewing excursions, and the opportunity to speak with representatives of local natural resource agencies.  The festival won an award from the Nevada Commission on Tourism. The majority of festival participants were from out-of-state.  Since Nevada relies so heavily on revenue generated through tourism, the state is well-served by jumping on the ecotourism bandwagon.  Pink Jeep Tours was Southern Nevada’s original ecotourism operator, but it didn’t take long for other outdoor tour vendors to join them.  Even the traditional bus tour operators are joining in and including wildlife as one of the “sites” to see.

Catering more specifically to bird-watchers, the Nevada Commission on Tourism (NCOT) is promoting natural sites in the state that offer a rich diversity of bird species, calling the initiative “Wildly Unexpected.”  Nevada Magazine, which the NCOT produces, has recently featured ads with celebrities participating in outdoor recreation.

Eastern Region

Avid wildlife watchers, as well as casual viewers, find a wide variety of wildlife in northeast Nevada’s Ruby Mountains.  From the sagebrush covered foothills to the 11,000-foot alpine tundra, over a hundred species of birds and more than 30 species of mammals inhabit this, the wettest mountain range in Nevada.  Many of these species are routinely encountered along the 13-mile scenic byway through Lamoille Canyon.  Wildlife enthusiasts commonly observe mule deer, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep in one drive through the glacier-carved canyon.  Hard core birders come from all regions of the United States to see the elusive Himalayan snowcock.  The Rubies and the East Humboldt Range hold the only populations of these unique birds in the Western Hemisphere.  Steptoe Wildlife Management Area located south of Ely in eastern Nevada, hosts big game, small game, waterfowl and upland birds.  In addition to the largest elk herd in the state, over 140 species of songbirds, 30 shorebirds, 20 ducks, 15 species of hawks, seven owls, and 12 bats have been recorded on the area. With extensive upland and wetland restoration work currently under way, antelope, deer and elk will increase.  Roads through the area accommodate wildlife watchers and photographers.  Ruby Valley straddles the Elko-White Pine County line and is home to Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge and the associated state-owned Franklin Lake Wildlife Management Area.  Over 200 springs originating from the base of the Ruby Mountains provide life-sustaining water to the 39,926-acre refuge.  Exceptional waterfowl and shorebird viewing is found in this out of the way, Great Basin oasis.  The area provides a resting and feeding stopover for Flyways.  The refuge, which supports the largest population of nesting canvasback ducks west of the Mississippi River outside Alaska, is a vital waterfowl nesting area for many species.  Several roads open to automobiles and bicycles allow close up views of many of the 207 bird species found in the area.  Mule deer and antelope can often be spotted grazing in the nearby meadows as well.

Western Region

Aaron Keller, conservation educator at NDOW, explains that one of the tricks to watching wildlife is recognizing good wildlife habitat.  The strip along a river is called a riparian area, one of the most valuable habitats for wildlife.  In a riparian area, variety is key.  Trees and shrubs of different ages and heights offer a multi-level layering of places for birds to perch, rest or nest. A mix of understory and aquatic plants offer a banquet of food opportunities in berries, shoots, leaves and seeds.  The cool river entices many animals of all shapes and sizes for drinking water, or to find a shady place to escape.  Unlike most rivers in the world, Great Basin rivers do not flow into the sea.  Their water sinks into the ground or is evaporated into the atmosphere.  Water is scarce in this part of the country and the demands and pressures for rivers to fulfill a variety of needs are growing.

The shortage of water effectively makes wildlife populations gravitate to the streams and rivers of northern Nevada.  It is not uncommon to walk the Truckee River and view ducks, geese, mink, muskrat, and deer just to name a few.  Migrating birds will often chart their route along river courses to ensure plenty of places to stop along the way.  These migration routes are followed by wildlife on the ground too!  The routes can be viewed season after season, and the chances of seeing the same animal year after year is not unheard of.  One prime example of these valuable Northern Nevada riparian areas is the Oxbow Nature Study Area.  A visit to the Oxbow will take you back in time to what the Truckee River looked like before all of the houses and roads were built.  You will have the opportunity to view many species of wildlife in the gallery forests, along the trails, and if you look close you might spot a passing cutthroat trout swimming upriver looking for mayflies to catch for lunch.

By Margie Klein, Norv Dallin and Aaron Keller