You walk as quietly as you can among the talus slopes above Summit Lake at the top of Mt. Evans, listening for the high-pitched squeaking noises. As you make your way through the maze of rocks, you hear warning squeaks from beneath the boulders. You turn, but see only a tiny bundle of fur as it darts under a rock. Another scurries across the rocks and scrambles underneath an overhanging rock. The elusive pika. You've driven over nine miles of tightly winding, narrow road to see these small mammals and other high-country creatures, but can't seem to lay eyes on anything but rocks and lingering snow patches. Has this ever happened to you?
Wildlife is everywhere in Colorado, and the warmer months of summer and fall bring even more viewing opportunities. Now is the time to get out and watch—but if you don't know how to watch, you may be in for a frustrating day in the wilderness.
Watching wildlife responsibly means observing animals without interrupting their normal activities. By following these simple instructions, you can increase your chances of seeing animals in their natural, "wild" settings, without causing undue harm or stress to the animal in front of you.
- Where to Look—Learn enough about the animal to have an idea of where to look for it.
Pika live in the maze of talus slopes and rock fields above 8,500 feet throughout the Colorado mountains, so along the Mount Evans Highway, for example, look for them in boulder piles above timberline. Many animals spend time along habitat edges, so watch the perimeters of forests, fields, or streams. Different species have different requirements for water, food, shelter, and space, so learning a little about what an animal needs before venturing out gives clues as to where you can find it
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- When to Look—
Even though pika are active throughout the day during the summer, dawn and dusk are often the best times to view wildlife, when animals come out to feed. However, some are active only in daylight hours, and others are out only at night. Again, learning a little about an animal's habits will increase your chances of seeing it. Learning about migration or hibernation patterns also helps your chances. Animals are often more visible during mating seasons.
- What to Look For—Watch for movement.
You may first catch a glimpse of something walking, flying, feeding or scratching. Look for parts of an animal, such as its head, tail, ear, wing or antler, rather than its whole body. Look for color contrasts against the natural background. Watch for tracks, trails, rubbing spots, nests, droppings, tunnels, food remains, webs, gnawed wood, or dams for clues as to what animal lives there. Pika gather bales of vegetation and store them for winter, so look for mounds of vegetation sitting beneath overhanging rocks for signs of a pika.
- How to Look—Sit quietly.
"Quietly active viewing" is the key to both finding and watching wildlife. This means looking in different ways. Learn how to scan the landscape with "soft eyes"—look at a distance, then in the foreground and back. Binoculars and scopes magnify your vision and allow you to watch with less risk to both animals and yourself. Use all of your senses, including smelling and hearing. When you move, move slowly and quietly, and be patient. Don't sneak, and avoid eye contact. Predators use these behaviors when stalking their prey, so they can make wildlife nervous and scare them away.
- How to Blend In—Wear muted colors and quiet fabrics, but don't try to hide.
Sometimes animals are less wary of you when they know you are there and don't appear to be sneaking up on them. Learn to recognize the signs of stress when you are too close, and stay outside that range of discomfort. And, if you must talk, talk softly.
Anywhere you go, wildlife is there—not only in the wilderness, but also in your backyard, garden, or the city park. By following these simple rules, you increase your chances of seeing animals going about their normal activities—which, in the end, provides the greatest satisfaction of watching wildlife.