Wildlife and Habitat Are Interrelated
To survive, all living things need a place where they can obtain food, shelter and adequate space. The
environment where wildlife can meet their survival needs is called habitat.
The habitat behind this fence is an important wintering area for big game animals. Deer, elk and antelope
roam here to escape the deeper snows of the higher elevations. The sagebrush grasslands come alive during the
winter months as big game animals search for food and cover.
Quality habitat is crucial to the survival of a variety of wildlife. Scavengers, like the coyote and magpie,
depend on the carcasses of big game animals that die during the winter. The concentration of wintering bald
and golden eagles also benefit from this food source. Preventing big game vehicle collisions helps scavenger
avoid the dangers of the highway as they look for food.
Badgers dig for gophers and ground squirrels, while great horned owls and a variety of hawks hunt from
the air. Bobcats chase after cottontail rabbits and porcupines munch on the tree bark. Migrating birds use these
areas for rest, cover and feeding stops. All of these creatures utilize his habitat.
People share some of the same habitats with wildlife, thus forming a kinship or
interrelationship with wildlife. When we develop the land to meet human needs
we must also replace those habitat elements eesential to the survival of wildlife.
You can help to protect wildlife by adjusting your speeds and watching for
animals crossing the highway. By working together we can keep wildlife
and motorists safe.
Wyoming's Wildlife: Worth the Watching Written by: Neil Hyman, Lori Roberts, and Lucy Diggins
