The amount and variety of wildlife you will experience while staying at the Ranch is certainly a testament to the Ute Indians who named this area “Rawah” which translates to “abundance”.
Shiras Moose were reintroduced to this valley in 1987. The Moose released in our valley were actually released right here on the ranch near the round pen at the entrance of the ranch. The Laramie River Valley could not be more ideal moose habitat. An abundance of Willows line the valley floor along the river, which is the primary food source for Moose. The river along with several small lakes and secluded ponds where moose like to browse creates a moose “paradise”. The reintroduction of Shiras Moose in Colorado is documented as one of the most successful Wildlife Management projects in the world.
Rocky Mountain Elk or Wapiti – pronounced, “Waa-pee-tee” is the Indian word for Elk, which means white rump. Indians derived this name due to the prominent contrasting light colored hide around the hindquarters. Elk are the largest of Colorado’s native deer species.
Mule Deer– These close relatives to the Whitetail Deer get their name from thelarge “mule like” ears. Each summer we host several females who spend the summer right on the ranch rearing their newborn fawns.
Whitetail Deer – Aptly named for their prominent whitetail. While they are not “native” to our area, the Colorado Division of Wildlife decided to reintroduceseveral breeding pairs because the Laramie River Valley’s habitat was so ideal.Similarly to the moose, they have responded very well and we encounter them more and more each year.
Pronghorn – While the immediate area surrounding the ranch is not Pronghorn habitat, just a few minutes north where the Laramie Valley opens into wide sagebrush foothills, short grass prairies and high plains, we have herds of Pronghorn that rival any other place in the western United States.
Beaver – While classified as the largest rodent native to North America, the Beaver is a “keystone species” in riparian communities; without them the ecosystem would change dramatically. In and along the river you will see Beavers in action; building dams, swimming and foraging.
River Otter – The River Otter is the longest of our weasels, ranging from 3 to 4 ½feet in length. While they are extremely rare, we do have a couple of breeding pairs in the valley. They are very difficult to find and a lot of fun to watch playing in the river.
Yellow-Bellied Marmot – The marmot is the largest of our ground squirrels and aclose relative to the woodchuck of the East and Midwest. These furry critters can befound all over the ranch and have got a lot of personality and live in a social system of high-pitched alarm calls.
Chipmunks– Colorado is home to five species. We have two, the Cliff Chipmunk and the Least Chipmunk. Size is the biggest difference. The Cliff Chipmunk is the larger of the two, measuring around nine inches in length and weighs about two ounces. The Least Chipmunk measures around five to six inches in length and weighs in around one ounce.
Muskrats – Due to the strong Beaver populations, muskrats are everywhere we find Beaver dams. They build “lodges” much like a Beaver does but much smaller.
Mink – The mink is a large, brown, semi-aquatic weasel. Sometimes they will chaseMuskrats out of their homes or “lodges’ and move right in. They are very rare in our valley however we have identified two breeding pairs along the river on the ranch.
Pine Squirrel or Chickaree – This is the smallest and noisiest of Colorado’s squirrelspecies. Our resident “chickaree” is “Charlie”. He lives in the lodgepole pine trees between the Main Lodge and the Henhouse. He is generally around the lodge most days and we will be sure to introduce you.
Abert’s Squirrel – AKA the “Tassel – eared” squirrel because of the magnificent tuftsof hair on each ear. Abert’s squirrels have either a striking black or salt-and-pepper gray coat. Very rare in our valley, and rely almost exclusively on Ponderosa pines for survival. They can be found on the east side of the ranch in the Ponderosa groves along the lower portion of the skyline trail.
Pine Marten – The Marten is a weasel that lives in trees. They are mostly nocturnal but when they are hungry they are active day or night. Martens are tolerant of humans and easily accommodate photo opportunities. In the “old days”, a Marten was the resident “mouse catcher” in many a miners cabin.
While it is very likely to see any of the critters mentioned during the day, please know that animals are most active during the early morning and early evening hours. We have been living and sharing our ranch and valley with them for a longtime and we are very familiar with their activity times and seasonal habits.
Please let us know if you would like to arrange a special time to try and catch some of our locals on camera.
