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Living With Utah's Wildlife Responsibly

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As Utah continues to grow, humans and wildlife will compete more and more for space and the number of interactions between humans and wildlife will increase. With outdoor recreation also becoming more popular, more citizens are concerned about how to be safe in areas shared by humans and wildlife.

How would you respond if a cougar or bear encountered you while you were hiking? What would you do for moose or herd of deer showed up in your neighborhood? Here are some tips to safely share Utah with our unique wildlife. 

  • Never approach or try to touch wildlife. Always give the animal a clear escape route. Do not crowd the animal. Doing so could make the animal stressed and unpredictable. 
  • Never feed wildlife. remove attractants from your property, restrict wildlife access to attractants by fencing gardens, compost piles, and ponds. 
  • Install chimney caps and closed crawl spaces around your home. Secure trash and a container by locking the lid and put the trash out in the morning for pickup. 
  •  As a deterrent, installed downward shield outward lighting, motion-sensitive lighting, and noisemakers around your property. 
  • Supervise your pets when they are outside. Keep them secured and inside at night. Keep your dogs leashed particularly and when you're on trails. 
  • Always hike and jog with a companion. Make noise to alert wildlife of your presence. 
  • Keep a clean outdoor odor-free campsite.

Utah's home to an abundance of wildlife. Knowing some basic facts about wildlife and taking a few simple steps can help you prevent many common wildlife-related problems and keep your interactions with wildlife from becoming conflicts. More information at wildawareutah.org