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A beaver swimming with its head above water.
Wildlife From amazing mammals to migratory birds to fish species found nowhere else on Earth, the vast array of wildlife in the Colorado River Basin represents the wonders of the West. © Thinkstock
Colorado River Basin

Preserving the Incredible Wildlife of the Colorado River Basin

In this new video, discover the vast array of wildlife that depend on the Colorado River for their survival.

The story of climate change across the western United States is being written in water, especially within the Colorado River Basin. For every 1-degree Fahrenheit increase, we are experiencing a 3-9% reduction in river flows. Less precipitation, thirstier soils, and a drier atmosphere leads to more evaporation, which accounts for much of the reduction in flow. The problem is exacerbated by the ever-increasing demands on the river. 

Preserving Wildlife of the CO River Basin (7:57) From amazing mammals to migratory birds to fish species found nowhere else on Earth, the vast array of wildlife in the Colorado River Basin represents the wonders of the West. To sustain this river in the face of climate change, we must find solutions that work for both people and wildlife.

The Colorado River provides food, drinking water, power, recreation and is indispensable to the lives of tens of millions of people and a vast array of biodiversity. We know that in order to sustain this river, we must develop solutions to address the effects of climate change and the overallocation of water, and we also know that we can’t forget about the many plants and animals that call the river home and depend on its health to thrive.

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Who depends on the river?

A close-up image of a large grey fish being held by a human.
Sandhill cranes flying high in the sky with blue, snowcapped mountains in the background.
Two moose standing in a river and drinking the water.
A mother and her son kneeling down in a river and looking at a rock.

The river and its tributaries support an array of fish populations including four threatened or endangered fish species. It also provides critical stopover points in the lower part of the Basin for a myriad of migratory and resident birds including sandhill cranes, warblers, osprey, bald eagles, and the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher. Large mammals such as moose, elk, deer, bears and big horn sheep also rely on rivers in the arid Rockies and Southwest. TNC has identified more than 150 threatened species that depend on the Colorado River for their survival.

This diversity of wildlife represents the wonders of the region and the Western landscape. That wildlife requires rivers and lakes and suitable habitat to survive. The river we all depend on is depending on us to find a sustainable future for both people and nature.