Following the retirement of former Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Director Justin “J” Shirley at the end of 2024, Riley Peck was named as his successor. Peck has a long history with the division, beginning his career as a technician in the aquatics section in 2006 before transitioning to work as a wildlife biologist in 2009. Most recently, Peck served as the division’s legislative liaison.
“We are guardians and stewards of this state's wildlife, and understanding the role that the legislature plays, understanding their priorities and desires, has an impact on the way that we operate here at the Division of Wildlife,” Peck said.
Peck’s passion for nature and wildlife began long before his career with the DWR. Born and raised in Utah, Peck grew up spending most of his time outdoors, trying to catch or see any creature that was around.
“I loved it all so much. I was in high school when I took a wildlife biology class, and it fascinated me and opened my eyes to the potential of a living studying and managing wildlife,” Peck said.
As the current director of the DWR, Peck said he hopes to build on the division’s strong foundation to ensure that wildlife is valuable to everybody.
“We have a rich tradition with hunting and fishing and pursuit, and I would love to see that continued. On the same hand, I would love that anybody that wants to go out for photography or just to be in the presence of nature has the animals in their native habitat to see it,” Peck said.
Peck said Utah has made great strides in collecting data on native species.
“I would like to see us utilize that data to make better wildlife decisions, and I look forward to engaging with the residents and constituents of the state of Utah on important wildlife issues,” Peck said.