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Show Page 10 The Ogden Valley news Volume XXV Issue XI April 15, 2019 Wildlife in Ogden Valley Above moose found in Eden. Photo courtesy of Miranda Menzies of Eden. See more photos on our Facebook page The Ogden Valley News. Athena Steadman caught the above moose troting along the road in Liberty. Mike Formica took this photo of cranes pictured left. Cariane Bowles of Liberty submitted the lounging moose below. Easter Sunday Mother’s Day April 21 10 AM to 2:30 PM May 12 10 AM to 2:30 PM Offering one of the largest buffets in town. Make your reservation now! Harley & Buck’s 801-745-2060 Great American Cuisine harleyandbucks.com 2432 Washington Blvd. Gila Monster Officially Named as Utah’s State Reptile Utah has long had a state flag, a state emblem, their life, they aren’t a very large threat to people. and even a state cooking pot (the Dutch oven). Now, with signing of HB144 on March 27, Utah officially has a state reptile: the Gila monster. Gila monsters are primarily located in westcentral Arizona, but are also native to southwestern Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, and parts of California. The Gila River in New Mexico is the namesake for the species. Snow Canyon State Park, designated trails in the Red Cliffs Reserve, and the BLM Red Cliffs recreation area are the most likely places to see a Gila monster in Utah. People are most likely to see them during the day in April and May, but they may also be seen through June, July, and August—especially on warm summer nights. The large, heavy-bodied lizards primarily eat tortoise and bird eggs, as well as baby cottontail rabbits and other small mammals that can’t move quickly. Gila monsters can eat up to 33 percent of their body weight in a single meal—and it digests slowly—so they only eat three or four times a year. As a result, they spend 95 percent of their time out of sight in burrows and below ground while their food digests. Gila monsters typically live up to 25 years, and some in captivity have been recorded to live as long as 38 years. While they are not a federally endangered species, Gila monsters are protected in each of the states where they live, and it is illegal to capture or move a Gila monster found in the wild. The lizards can range in color from yellow with black bands to orange or pink with black bands. Gila monsters can’t change their color during their lifetime, but generations of populations have changed color over time to better adapt and camouflage to their environment. Gila monsters are one of two venomous lizard species in North America. However, because they are slow-moving and underground the majority of No human deaths have been reported since the early 1930s when, according to folklore, an intoxicated pool-hall operator allegedly died after poking his thumb into the mouth of a Gila monster. However, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials said the claim was never confirmed. While fatal in large doses, the venom also has some remarkable medicinal properties. Researchers in the 1980s captured a Gila monster and made some amazing discoveries when they extracted its venom. A peptide called exendin-4 was discovered from Gila monster venom samples that originated in southwestern Utah. It has now become a leading new drug for treating Type 2 diabetes. The drug, now known as Exenatide, can be synthesized in a laboratory and it’s no longer necessary to extract exendin-4 from Gila monsters. If you do get lucky enough to see a Gila monster in the wild, do not attempt to grab or touch one. They are slow-moving animals and are harmless when left alone. Bites are very rare and are usually the result of harassing the reptile. If you do happen to be bitten by a Gila monster, here’s what to do: Remain calm. If necessary, remove the Gila monster using a sturdy lever to pry open the jaws. Immediately transport the bitten individual to a medical facility. Remove jewelry, watches, and restrictive clothing from the affected limb. Because sightings of the reptiles are so rare, people should report when and where they see Gila monsters to DWR. People can email photos and descriptions of where they saw a Gila monster to DWR biologist Ann McLuckie at annmcluckie@utah.gov or they can report the sighting by calling 435-879-8694. Photo courtesy of Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. FIRST TRACKS cont. from page 1 For over 200 years, roughly 1650 to 1850, beaver pelts underpinned the North American economy, producing the largest single and longest running commodity of export. Without question, beaver were the most lucrative product ever to have come out of Ogden Valley prior to Peter Skene Ogden’s arrival, now eclipsed by recreation and tourism. Today, Ogden Valley’s growing recreation repertoire includes a wide variety of all-season mountain and water activities. Attracted by the outdoor lifestyle, out-ofstaters are arriving in record numbers, building luxury vacation homes to position themselves near the beauty of this recreational area. According to current real estate stats, nearly 70% of Ogden Valley’s residential inventory is made up of second homes; paradoxically, vacant most of the year. Apparently, some new comers will make significant investment just for a small time-share of what Ogden Valley has to offer. Are these Ogden Valley’s glory days? Ogden Valley has come a long way economically from the beaver trapping days of Mr. Ogden, through its settlement period of agriculture and animal husbandry, to its remarkable rise in recreation and tourism. What will the future bring? It is often said the secrets of the future can be found in the past. All are invited on a trip back to Ogden Valley’s past. On Thursday, May 23, 2019, at 7:00 p.m., Ogden Valley 200 will commemorate Ogden Valley’s fascinating presettlement history and founding namesake Peter Skene Ogden with the third annual “In Search of Ogden Hole.” Special keynote speakers will include Jay Buckley, BYU Western History professor and Dr. Kathryn MacKay, WSU Native American history professor. This free public lecture/presentation will be held at the historic Hearthside in Eden, Utah. Adding extra interest to the occasion will be special guest Mark Perkins of Victoria, British Columbia, great-great-great-grandson of Peter Skene Ogden. Mr. Perkins will share his unique descendant perspective of one of America’s greatest frontiersman, explorers, and trader-trappers. All are welcome to attend; refreshments will be served. Event details can be found at ogdenhole. com or on the Facebook page – Ogden Hole aka Ogden Valley. Valley’s premier winter recreation attraction, drawing thousands of recreationists and dollars. In 1984 Robert Earl Holding acquired Snowbasin and launched unprecedented expansion of the resort. In 2002, Snowbasin hosted the Winter Olympic alpine skiing events and later served as set location for Disney’s 2009 acclaimed feature film animation—Frozen. These, among other hugely popular and successful recreation undertakings, like Xterra, have put Snowbasin resort on the world map. In light of Ogden Valley’s beaver trapping start, there is a curious irony that Snowbasin now finds itself Top of Utah’s foremost tourist traps. In time, other prominent Ogden Valley trappers and trail blazers, disguised as land developers, would make their mark with further resort development: Arthur Christiansen - Nordic Valley (1968); Alvin Cobabe – Powder Mountain (1972); and Robert Earl Holding – Snowbasin (1984). Today, the combined skiable acres of these three Ogden Valley resorts provide over half the entire State of Utah’s skiable acre inventory. Powder Mountain, now owned by Summit Group, since 2013, has expanded to an impressive 8,500 skiable acres, currently making it North America’s largest ski resort. According to Ski Utah, skiing and snowboarding now contribute a whopping $1.43 billion to Utah’s economy, and has created 20,000 jobs for the state. No doubt, Northern Utah’s hidden treasure— Ogden Hole, aka Ogden Valley, contributes a substantial share to this winter windfall. Old Mr. Ogden surely could never have imagined such an economic and cultural future in the once pristine valley bearing his name. Laurie Van Zandt (801) 388-8103 Landscape Designer Designing Creative Unique Outdoor Architecture and Landscapes for Fine Residential Living www.theardentgardener.net |