Fauna of Nevada facts for kids
The animals of Nevada are mostly creatures that can live in deserts. They are used to very hot or very cold temperatures and not much water. Nevada is the driest state in the United States. It also has the most land covered by desert.
Two-thirds of Nevada is part of the Great Basin Desert. This is the biggest desert in North America. The southern part of Nevada is the Mojave Desert. Other smaller deserts in Nevada include the Smoke Creek Desert and Black Rock Desert.
Nevada's animals are similar to those found in Northern Africa. You can find scorpions, mountain lions, snakes, lizards, spiders, wolves, and coyotes here. There are also foxes, ground squirrels, rabbits, falcons, and ravens. Other animals include desert tortoises, hawks, eagles, bobcats, sheep, deer, and pronghorns. Geckos, owls, bats, and horned toads also live in Nevada. The rivers and lakes in Nevada have many bass, trout, crappie, and catfish.
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Birds of Nevada
More than 480 different kinds of birds have been seen in Nevada. About 300 of these birds either nest there or visit regularly. Most of Nevada's nesting birds live on land. But many important birds are shorebirds and waterbirds. This shows how important water is in the desert.
Seventy-eight types of birds in Nevada are called "priority species." This means they need special attention. Seventy of these are "Conservation priority" species. This is because their numbers are going down. Or they live in special places that are in danger. Some, like the northern goshawk and golden eagle, are important to Nevada.
Nevada has many bird species. These include American bald eagles, New World vultures, and peregrine falcons. You can also see red-tailed hawks, American white pelicans, and great horned owls. The golden eagle and prairie falcon also live here. The greater roadrunner and canyon wren are common. The mountain bluebird is Nevada's official state bird.
Mammals of Nevada
Over 61 types of mammals live in Nevada. Most land mammals live in the greener areas in the northwestern part of the state. Many mammals in Nevada are built for the dry desert. But around Lake Tahoe and Pyramid Lake, there are forests. Here you can find American black bears, beavers, otters, skunks, and raccoons.
The desert bighorn sheep is Nevada's official state animal. It lives in most of Nevada's desert mountains. The desert bighorn is smaller than the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. But it has wider horns. Their numbers are growing! In 1960, there were about 1,500. By the 1990s, there were almost 5,300.
Desert bighorn sheep can go a long time without drinking water. Their special padded hooves help them climb steep desert hills. They also have great eyesight. This helps them spot predators like bobcats, mountain lions, and coyotes.
Other mammals in Nevada include the gray fox, mustang horse, and kit fox. You can also find kangaroo rats, mountain cottontails, and pack rats. Townsend's big-eared bats and pronghorns live here too. There are also wild donkeys, Ring-tailed cats, and striped skunks.
Scorpions and Spiders
Nevada has many scorpions. There are 23 different kinds of scorpions in the state. One type is the giant desert hairy scorpion. Another is called Hadrurus spadix. Nevada's hot weather is perfect for certain spiders. Spiders found here include the Carolina wolf spider and jumping spider. You can also find funnel-weaving spiders, crab spiders, black widows, and tarantulas.
Reptiles of Nevada
More than 52 types of reptiles live in Nevada. Twelve of these are venomous, meaning they can inject venom. Six more are considered dangerous. Venomous snakes include the sidewinder, western diamondback, and Great Basin rattlesnakes.
Other reptiles include the venomous Gila monster. You can also find the northern desert horned lizard, sagebrush lizard, and leopard lizard. The western fence lizard and short-horned lizard also live here. Nevada's official state reptile is the desert tortoise. It is a threatened species.
The desert tortoise can live up to 70 years. It is found in southwestern Nevada. It is the largest reptile in the southwestern United States. In some parts of Nevada, their numbers have dropped a lot. This is due to predators, diseases, and people illegally collecting them.
Fish of Nevada
Nevada has 48 types of fish living in its 600 rivers and over 200 lakes. Big lakes with many fish include Pyramid Lake, Lake Tahoe, Lake Mead, and Lake Mohave. Franklin Lake and Walker Lake also have many fish.
At least 12 types of fish in Nevada are found nowhere else in the world. These are called endemic fish. Examples include the Devil's Hole pupfish in Devils Hole. The moapa dace lives in the Muddy River. The Cui-ui lives in Pyramid Lake and the Truckee River.
The Lahontan cutthroat trout is Nevada's official state fish. It is a native trout found in 14 of the state's 17 counties. Other fish species in Nevada include mountain whitefish and Great Basin redband trout. You can also find rainbow trout, largemouth bass, and channel catfish. Striped bass, crappie, and green sunfish are also common.
Amphibians of Nevada
Amphibians in Nevada include the tiger salamander and western toad. The Great Basin spadefoot and bullfrog also live here. Other amphibians are the Columbia spotted frog and northern leopard frog. You can also find Woodhouse's toad and Amargosa toad. Several other types of toads, frogs, and salamanders live in Nevada.
