I n a place as arid as Wyoming, it's often said water is more valuable than gold. The rivers that carve their way through flat, sage plateaus, wind among towering pines and skim the bases of enormous granite mountains act as arteries bringing life to the landscape. While only roughly 3 percent of the Mountain West is riparian habitat, it is estimated more than 90 percent of wildlife interact with these zones. Some, like a cow moose and her calf, may pause for a drink on the rocky bank or munch on nearby willows, which draw nutrients from the moist ground. Others, like the cutthroat trout, spend the entirety of their life amid the varying currents. A breeding pair of harlequin ducks take a break from fishing in the Yellowstone River at LeHardy Rapids in Yellowstone National Park. A Snake River cutthroat trout swims in a spring-fed tributary of the Snake River near Jackson. 40 | April 2021