Out & About for the Summer

Baby Animal Season is Here: Don’t Touch or Take Home Baby Deer or Elk You Find in the Wild

Intermountain Health’s Safety and Trauma Teams Urge Safety Precautions & Helmets to Prevent Serious Injury This Summer

SALT LAKE CITY -

Last year, 15 Utahns lost their lives in bicycle related accidents and 49 experienced serious injuries. That is the deadliest year in Utah for bicycle accidents since the Utah Department of Public Safety started keeping track several years ago.

With summer approaching, Intermountain Health’s safety and trauma teams are reminding bicycle riders of the importance of wearing a helmet and staying safe when riding.

As you are out hiking and camping this summer, don’t be surprised if you come across a deer fawn or an elk calf during late May or June. If you do see one, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources requests that you not touch, try to feed or take the baby animal home—doing so can have fatal consequences for the animal and could result in injury to you.

SALT LAKE CITY -

As you are out hiking and camping this summer, don’t be surprised if you come across a deer fawn or an elk calf during late May or June. If you do see one, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources requests that you not touch, try to feed or take the baby animal home—doing so can have fatal consequences for the animal and could result in injury to you.

Deer fawns and elk calves are often born in June, which is why you may find one during your outdoor adventures in early summer. If you do happen to see one in the wild, you probably won’t see its mother. Not seeing its mother might lead you to believe that the animal has been abandoned, but that is rarely the case.

“Newborn fawns are actually frequently alone and isolated during their first weeks of life—and that’s on purpose,” Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Big Game Coordinator Dax Mangus said. “The mother knows that leaving the fawn alone is the best way to protect it from predators.”

Newborn big game animals fall into two categories: followers and hiders.

• Followers include bison calves and bighorn sheep lambs, which follow their mothers shortly after they’re born.

Hiders, such as mule deer fawns and elk calves, do the opposite —they hide, alone, for most of the day for the first two to three weeks of their lives.

During the day, a doe deer will reunite with its fawn for a short time, to nurse it and care for it. Then, to draw attention away from where the fawn is hiding, the mother will leave the fawn. The doe will spend the rest of the day feeding and resting. Hiding is the best way for fawns to stay safe right after they are born. Then, after two or three weeks, the fawn grows strong enough to start accompanying its mother.

Fawns are born with a creamy brown coat that’s covered with white spots. This camouflaged coat allows the fawn to blend in with its surroundings. Fawns also don’t give off much scent, so it’s difficult for predators to smell them. What to do if you see a deer fawn or an elk calf that appears to be alone:

• Don’t approach it Watch it or take a photo of it from a distance, but don’t go near it. In almost every case, the young animal has not been abandoned by its mother.

• Don’t touch it or pet it. Finding and petting newly born animals is a problem because the animal’s survival depends on it being left alone. If you touch it, you may leave your scent on the animal, which could draw predators to it.

• Give it plenty of space Even if you don’t touch the fawn or calf, getting too close can cause it to run away from you, resulting in the animal using energy it needs to survive.

• Never attempt to remove a fawn or calf from the wild or take it home. DWR conservation officers occasionally respond to instances where an individual has taken a baby deer or elk home to “care for it.” However, that often has fatal consequences for the animal and can also create public safety risks as the animal matures. It is illegal to keep wildlife in captivity and can result in a class A misdemeanor. If you believe that a baby animal is injured or sick, report it to the nearest DWR office.

“Keeping your distance and not touching wildlife are the keys to keeping young animals alive,” Mangus said. “Attempting to take matters into your own hands and trying to ‘help’ wildlife usually does more harm than good. Help wildlife by allowing them to remain wild.”

For more tips about how to safely live with wildlife, visit the Wild Aware Utah website.

—Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

Heidie Grigg: I am really excited to have the opportunity to work in External Affairs. I look forward to working closely with the park leadership team, partners and our neighboring communities. I am also fortunate to be working with a dedicated staff as we work with our partners in the stewardship and appreciation of Glen Canyon’s amazing natural resources.

—Heidie Grigg, new Glen Canyon/Rainbow Bridge Chief of External Affairs

Cont'd communication skills and experience working with park partners and commercial operators make her a great addition to our Superintendent’s leadership team,” Kerns said.

Heidie’s work will include forging partnerships with elected and appointed officials and Tribes. She will continue building partnerships with park concessioners, other authorized business operations and event permittees, having served since June 2020 as Glen Canyon’s Chief of Commercial Services. Overseeing tribal liaison responsibilities, park planning, and public affairs efforts completes her new portfolio. Heidie served a 120-day detail as Acting Chief of External Affairs, following the departure of Jennifer Hardin in October 2022.

"I am really excited to have the opportunity to work in External Affairs,” she said. “I look forward to working closely with the park leadership team, partners and our neighboring communities. I am also fortunate to be working with a dedicated staff as we work with our partners in the stewardship and appreciation of Glen Canyon’s amazing natural resources.”

Prior to joining the team at Glen Canyon, Heidie worked for 14 years in Commercial Services at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which is the most similar in the NPS to Glen Canyon. Prior to that, Heidie worked at Mount Rainier National Park in Ashford, Washington. She started her federal career at the Olympic National Forest in Olympia, Washington. Heidie has also been a substitute teacher for grades K-12 and worked at Rainier Bank. Heidie graduated from the University of Washington in 2005 with

“Kids and adults can be seriously injured, sometimes fatally, if they fall while riding,” said D Millar, MD, Intermountain Health Utah Valley Hospital trauma medical director and surgeon. “A traumatic brain injury can be life altering and unfortunately, we don’t get to choose how severe of an injury an individual might sustain. The brain is not like a broken bone that we can fix, so we strongly advocate for preventing head injuries.”

Intermountain Health treated more than 2,700 bicycle-related injuries in its emergency departments in Utah and Idaho in 2022.

Adam Stewart, 15, who rides with the Lehi High School Mountain Bike Team was one of those injuries. He has ridden more than 1,100 miles so far this year and knows the importance of wearing a helmet and protecting his head.

Last year, during the Utah High School Cycling State Championships in St. George, Utah, Adam was close to earning a place on the podium and wiped out on the sandy course—hitting his head hard on the ground. He jumped back up and got on his bike, but when he crossed the finish line he didn’t go to the podium, but went straight to the medical tent.

Doctors diagnosed Adam with a mild a concussion and advised him to stay off his bike, stay off electronic screens, and follow concussion protocols.

“Wearing a helmet definitely prevented a more serious head and brain injury from happening,” said Adam. “When I ride, I wear my new helmet and make sure it fits by adjusting the straps.”

Tiffany Stewart, Adam’s mother, said, through this experience, their family is more aware of helmet and bike safety.

Bicycle related incidents historically rise during the summer months —peaking in July. Some of these traumatic injuries could be prevented by wearing a helmet. Intermountain trauma experts say a good-fitting helmet should: Fit snugly on the head Sit level on the head, back to front.

For an optimal fit, use this simple 2-2-2 rule:

• Make sure there is a 2-finger gap between the top of the eyebrow and the front the helmet.

• Use 2 fingers to make a v-shape, and place the v under the earlobe. This is where the straps should sit.

• Turn the 2 fingers sideways and place them flat between the chin and the strap, and adjust the strap as needed.

“It’s important that every rider have a good fitting helmet and parents should help their child put it on before every ride, every time,” said Michelle Jamison, community health programs manager at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. “And we’re not talking just when you’re bicycling. Helmets are important when riding scooters dirt bikes, ATVs, roller blades, skateboards, hoverboards, tricycles, and even balance bikes to help protect those heads.”

On Saturday, May 20, trauma caregivers from Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital, Intermountain American Fork, and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital set up at four locations along the Murdock Canal trail in Utah County, and conducted helmet fittings, supplied safety information, and conducted safety demonstrations.

“It’s important to us to offer these safety tips to members of the Utah County community so they can avoid a trip to the emergency department,” said Andrew Herrera, Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital trauma coordinator. “We’ve seen the effects of traumatic brain injury, which can be to devastating to families and we want everyone to have a safe summer—by wearing the right gear.” a degree in Environmental Studies and has a Concession Management Specialist Certificate from the twoyear NPS/Northern Arizona University program. Heidie likes to hike, camp, kayak, garden and cook. She and her Boulder City, Nevada family visit each other often.

“After Adam rides, he tells us about what went well, what he needs to work on, and if things just feel off,” said Tiffany. “This open communication has helped us as parents support him so he can continue doing what he loves.”

Helmet Safety, which is part of the Hold on to Dear Life injury prevention program, expands on Intermountain’s commitment to keep children and families healthy in their communities, and is part of the Primary Promise Healthy Kids initiative.

—Intermountain Health

—Glen

Canyon National Recreation Area

Centennial: It is nearly impossible to capture the number of people who love and take care of this place. I can’t explain the magic of Bryce Canyon. It is real.

Bryce Canyon National Park Superintendent Jim Ireland the actual birthday of the place we now call Bryce Canyon, one would need a cake with around 55 million candles. Nonetheless, the centennial anniversary marked a century of preservation of what park staff refer to as “Nature’s Fairyland.”

Over the last 100 years, a lot has happened at Bryce Canyon National Park. Hoodoos have tumbled due to the chiseling of countless freezeand-thaw cycles. The rim of the amphitheater has eroded almost 2 feet. Annual visitation has grown from the thousands to the millions, and the sun has risen more than 35,000 times over “...a perfect wilderness of red pinnacles,” as Grove Karl Gilbert first described the park in 1872.

During the ceremony, American Poet Jacqueline Osherow shared her own vivid description of the park’s daily dance with the light (see figure 1.).

The ceremony also featured a blessing from Paiute tribal members that acknowledged the spirits of the animals, land, and water, and paid homage to the park’s history as the ancestral homeland of the Southern Paiute people.

Governor Cox shared his personal "Bryce Moment," reflecting on how a visit to the park during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic had renewed his spirit and provided hope during dark times. “It was magical and it literally saved my life,” he tearfully remarked.

The unveiling of a painting by artist Roland Lee, donated to the

“….Just watch it nurse a puny flame at dawn —purple with an edging of vermillion— by sunrise to a full-fledged conflagration then temper it to golden-rose by noon, darker still as day begins to fail.

The oranges go bronze, the reds, maroon, the whole place solid indigo by nightfall, except on nights when a full or near-full moon applies its inlay—mother-of-pearl on a lamina of coral and carnelian— or the moon’s a no-show, no stone visible, just black on black, spikes and spires gone…..” memorated the day. Shared Commitment to Place Representatives from park staff, local residents, tribal members, and the President and CEO of the Bryce Canyon Association, spoke of their profound connections and appreciation for Bryce Canyon Na- tional Park.

—Jacqueline Osherow figure 1.

It was a day that brought together diverse perspectives around a shared commitment to place. “It is nearly impossible to capture the number of people who love and take care of this place,” said Park Superintendent Jim Ireland. “I can’t ex- plain the magic of Bryce Canyon. It is real.”

Looking to the Future

Bryce Canyon National Park is not just a haven for people; it also serves as a habitat for over 100 species of birds, 1,000 species of plants, and diverse wildlife such as the Utah Prairie Dog, mountain lions, and pronghorn tecting the natural world, adapting to climate change, responding to visitation increases, and meeting ongoing maintenance and infrastructure needs are just some of the challenges that park staff and partners will continue to face. Looking ahead to the next century, Superintendent Jim Ireland emphasized the importance of continued collaboration.

“I don't know what the next century will bring for Bryce Canyon or the people who will be here 100 years from today, but I do know what must not change: a group of committed stewards, acknowledging and listening to one another and

“Bryce Canyon is awe-inspiring. But the thing that inspires me the most about Bryce Canyon is our staff—I am inspired by the passion and dedication that our staff brings to this place. Every day I see them giving their all, whether it be on the trails or in the office. People’s willingness to be such dedicated public servants speaks to the power of this place.”

—Lana Olbrich, Administrative Officer and Acting Superintendent of Bryce Canyon National Park continuing the work of protecting and preserving this magical place for this and future generations.”

The celebration continued into the evening

“Bryce Canyon National Park provides a connection to the ancestral landscape of the Southern Paiute People. It is a place where I can come to engage in my spirituality and my traditionalism—a place to visit and relearn the stories of my ancestors.”

—Autumn Gillard, Cultural Resource Manager for the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah with a concert on the rim of Bryce Canyon featuring the renowned musical group, The Piano Guys. Approximately 5,000 attendees from far and wide gathered on blankets and camp chairs, enjoying the music as the sun set for

“I’ve been down here for about 40 years. I think we’ve heard a lot of things today and it seems like—that we’re all in it together. The first time you see Bryce it has a way of drawing you in. That’s what happened to us. It felt like we belonged here and so we ended up moving here.”

—Jean Seiler, a local resident of Tropic and employee of Ruby’s Inn

“It’s a very emotional thing to me. It’s where I find groundedness. I’ve hiked these trails since I was in the 4th grade. They have deep meaning from a scientific standpoint but also from a spiritual standpoint. This is a place where I find healing and rest, and I’m grateful to be associated with such a beautiful place.”

—Gayle Pollack, President and CEO of the Bryce Canyon Association for the last 28 years another night upon Bryce Canyon. The Centennial Celebrations Continue

The park will continue to celebrate its centennial throughout the year with several special events, such as art exhibitions, a perfor- mance by the Utah Symphony, and citizen science events such as the Bryce Canyon Butterfly Count.

The Bryce Canyon Association, the park's official non-profit partner, has been instrumental in organizing the centennial celebrations.

Since its establishment in 1961, the association and its members have supported various park activities, including publications, festivals, resource management research, and cultural outreach programs.

For more information on Bryce Canyon National Park and the centennial events, visit the park's website and the Bryce Canyon Association's website at brycecanyon. org.