Colorado Wildlife

Colorado supports a wide and diverse range of ecosystems, with multiple types of woodland, shrubland, grassland, and alpine systems. Rivers throughout the state like the Arkansas River and the Rio Grande River, the High Plains to the east, and both the Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau in the west create numerous ecosystems, and lead to a richness in biodiversity. The range of habitats, and the animals and plant life present in them consistently inspires artists in depictions of their surroundings.

Shared with Kansas, the High Plains are home to the charismatic pronghorn. Their name-giving horns are on center display in John Woodhouse Audubon’s (1812-1862) print. Just like the pronghorn, other wildlife found in Colorado live in state-spanning ranges. Faustina Gutierrez (1898 – 1976), a potter from the Santa Clara Pueblo in New Mexico, depicted in her black-on-black ceramics animals such as the porcupine, mouse, and skunk, which are found across Colorado and New Mexico.

As the elevation goes up in the Rocky Mountains, the ecology changes, populated with species adapted to life at the harsh summits of mountains. Harry L. Standley (1881-1951), one of the founding mountaineers of the Pikes Peak AdAmAn Club, photographed the timberlines and alpine environments of the Rocky Mountains during his hikes. Photography by Barbara Sparks (1938–2019) highlights alpine flowers and hardy lichens living on mountaintops.

No matter the ecosystem you live in and the wildlife you share it with, we hope you will find something that speaks to you in this collection.

Gabrielle Friesen, Digital Collections Assistant

2022