Animals in Colorado

Colorado can be considered a haven for wildlife enthusiasts, with hundreds of amazing animals living in all different terrains and habitats. The Rocky Mountains, encompassing the state’s northeast region, are home to most of the mountain animals in the state, like the bighorn sheep, cougar, white-tailed deer, black bear, and coyote.

Like in all the other western US states, many small mammals and rodents like porcupines, rabbits, beavers, chipmunks, and rats inhabit Colorado. The state also boasts a rich reptile population, including rattlesnakes, whiptails, and turtles.

Most of the animals in the following list are native to this state. There are some invasive species, like the American Bullfrog and the Emerald Ash Borer, that have invaded most of the United States.

List of Different Types of Animals Found in Colorado

Mammals

The eastern cottontail rabbit is an invasive mammal living in this state, while posing a threat to the native species New England cottontail. Here are the most notable mammals of colorado:

American Black Bear
Bobcat
Cougar
Coyote
Gray Wolf
Kit Fox
Swift Fox
Gray Fox
Raccoon
Eastern Cottontail Rabbit
Black-tailed Jackrabbit
Muskrat
Woodchuck
Yellow-bellied Marmot
North American Porcupine
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep
Mountain Goat
Elk
Mule Deer
White-tailed Deer
Pronghorn
Moose
American Bison
Long-tailed Weasel
Short-tailed Weasel
American Marten
Black-footed Ferret
American Pika
Striped Skunk
Badger
American Beaver
Colorado Chipmunk
Eastern Chipmunk
Cliff Chipmunk
Abert’s Squirrel
Rock Squirrel
Uinta Ground Squirrel
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
Sagebrush Vole
Northern Pocket Gopher
White-tailed Prairie Dog
Eastern Mole
Big Brown Bat
Silver-haired Bat
Western Small-footed Myotis

Birds

Lark Bunting
Black-capped Chickadee
House Finch
Black-Billed Magpie
White-tailed Ptarmigan
American Bittern
Three-toed Woodpecker
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk

Reptiles

Painted Turtle
Common Snapping Turtle
Ornate Box Turtle
Prairie Rattlesnake
Eastern Massasauga
Common Garter Snake
Bullsnake
Plains Garter Snake
Milk Snake
Western Hognose Snake
Terrestrial Garter Snake
Northern Watersnake
Common Kingsnake
Great Plains Rat Snake
Desert Night Snake
Smooth Green Snake
Eastern Racer
Western Coachwhip
Sonoran Whipsnake
Eastern Collared Lizard
Western Fence Lizard
Plateau Fence Lizard
Desert Spiny Lizard
Side-blotched Lizard
Western Skink
Western Whiptail
Common Checkered Whiptail
Western Banded Gecko

Amphibians

Western Tiger Salamander
Long-toed Salamander
Northern Leopard Frog
Western Chorus Frog
Canyon Treefrog
Great Plains Toad
Woodhouse’s Toad
Boreal Toad
Plains Spadefoot
New Mexico Spadefoot
Couch’s Spadefoot

Fishes

Colorado Pikeminnow
Razorback Sucker
White Sucker
Bluehead Sucker
Longnose Sucker
Mountain Sucker
Speckled Dace
Brassy Minnow
Rainbow Trout
Brown Trout
Brook Trout
Greenback Cutthroat Trout
Bonytail
Mountain Whitefish
Kokanee Salmon
Sockeye Salmon
Yellow Perch
Humpback Chub
Lake Chub
Longnose Dace
Black Crappie
White Crappie
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Salmonmouth Bass
Channel Catfish
Bullhead Catfish
Walleye
Saugeye
Gizzard Shad

Insects And Invertebrates

Elm Flea Weevil
Walnut Twig Beetle
Colorado Hairstreak Butterfly
Colorado Potato Beetle
Carpenter Ant
Black Widow
Tarantulas
Dawson Grasshopper
Walking Stick Insect
Bush Katydid
Camel Cricket

State Animals of Colorado

State Mammal	Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep
State Bird	Lark Bunting
State Reptile	Western Painted Turtle
State Amphibian	Western Tiger Salamander
State Fish	Greenback Cutthroat Trout
State Insect	Colorado Hairstreak Butterfly

FAQ

1. What are the most dangerous animals in Colorado?

Large wild carnivores, like the cougar, black bear, and coyote, are often considered the most dangerous animals. The elk, moose, and deer found in this region can also be potentially deadly if provoked. They have been recorded to charge and injure humans when disturbed in their natural habitat.
Colorado is also home to invertebrates like the black widow and several species of tarantula that are well-capable of endangering human life.

2. Are there any burrowing animals in Colorado?

As mentioned already, there are many rodents in this state, with the most common burrowing animals including voles, prairie dogs, ground squirrels, and pocket gophers.

3. What are the common game animals in Colorado?

The most common game animals are the several ungulates native to the Rocky Mountains, including white-tailed and mule deer, bighorn sheep, elk, moose, and pronghorn. Hunters are also allowed to go after black bears and cougars during the season.