Public Invited to Oct. 18 Summit at the Hogle Zoo

Utah conservationists celebrated the state’s new Utah Wildlife Action Plan with Western toads, bald eagles, and Bonneville Cutthroat Trout—all species that have benefited from previous versions of the plan.

“Utah’s conservation efforts have made a huge difference for some of our most at-risk species, and the Utah Wildlife Action Plan has facilitated so much of that work,” said Isobel Lingenfelter, Conservation Director at the Utah Wildlife Federation. “The 2025 revision will help us proactively protect iconic Utah species like gila monsters, cutthroat trout, and pygmy rabbits.”

One of the 256 species prioritized in the new plan is the western toad, which has seen serious population declines over the last two decades. In 2008, Utah’s Hogle Zoo, along with two other Zoos, stepped in to breed boreal toads as a hedge against extinction. In 2022, 1,900 toads were released to their native habitat on the Paunsaugunt Plateau, demonstrating how the foresight and partnerships outlined in the Utah Wildlife Action Plan can create critical successes for at-risk species across Utah.

“The 2025 Utah Wildlife Action Plan took more than three years to update and revise with the help of more than 35 partners working to conserve Utah’s native species,” said Paul Thompson, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Habitat Section Assistant Chief. “This plan incorporates all wildlife, plants, and insects in need of conservation attention, highlights the habitats that they depend on, identifies threats to those species and habitats, and outlines important conservation actions to ensure these species will persist in Utah for generations to come.”

The Utah Wildlife Federation is hosting a Wildlife Summit, scheduled to take place at the Zoo on October 18, and is open to the public. The Utah Wildlife Summit will offer attendees opportunities to learn about and ways to support the Utah Wildlife Action Plan, UDWR’s new ten-year blueprint for helping more than 250 at-risk species across the state. Your ticket purchase supports the Hogle Zoo and its conservation programs, including its western toad program.