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GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
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GRAND CANYON ANIMALS
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TWO OF THE MOST CELEBRATED AND TRULY AMAZING SPECIES IN THE CANYON ARE THE KAIBAB SQUIRREL AND THE ALBERT SQUIRREL. MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO T HESE TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT SPECIES SHARED THE SAME ANCESTOR THE TASSEL EAR SQUIRREL. AS THE CANYON GREW WIDER AND LONGER THE SQUIRRELS WERE SEPERATED EVOLVING INTO TWO DISTINCED SPECIES. TODAY THE KAIBAB SQUIRREL LIVES ONLY ON THE NORTH RIM WHILE THE ALBERT SQUIRREL LIVES ONLY ON THE SOUTH RIM. THE CANYON IS ALSO HOME TO MOUNTAIN LIONS, DEER, PORCUPINES, BEAVERS,SNAKES, AND LIZARDS. THERE ARE OLSO OVER 180 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF BIRDS.
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THE COLORADO RIVER GUSHES AT THE BASE OF THE LARGEST CANYON ON EARTH,ABOUT 1,850 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.THE SIDE OF THE TOWERING CANYONS ARE M ADE OF ROCKS,CLIFFS, RIDGES,HILLS, AND VALLEYS. THE NORTH RIM IS ABOUT 1,200 FEET HIGHER THAN THE SOUTH RIM. THE HIGHEST POINTS IN THE CANYON ARE 9,000 FEET HIGH. THE COLORFUL ROCKS WERE FORMED MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF WEATHERING AND EROSION. THE TOP LAYER OF ROCK IS THE FOSSIL RICH KAIBAB LAYER. THIS CREAMY GRAY LAYER SITS ON THE TOROWEAP LAYER. THIS IS REALLY A DEEPER SECTION OF THE KAIBAB LAYER. ON TOP OF THE HERMIT SHALE LAYER IS THE COCONINO SAND STONE LAYER. SCIENTIST STILL HAVE NOT AGREED ON EXACTLY HOW THE CANYON WAS FORMED, BUT THE ONE THING THAT IS DEFINIENT IS THE MIGHTY COLORADO RIVER. THE COLORADO WILL ALWAYS BE THERE AS A CATALYST FOR THE CHANGE GEOLOGY IN THE GRAND CANYON.
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GEOLOGY
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CLIMATE AND WEATHER
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--------CLIMATE---------THE TIME TO VISIT THE GRAND CANYON IS FROM LATE AUGUST TO MID OCTOBER. JULY AND AUGUST ARE BOTH VERY HOT, ABOUT 115 DEGREES FERINHEIT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE RARE IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER AND SKIES ARE MOSTLY CLEAR. EVEN IF THE DAYTIME TEMPRATURE IS ABOVE 90 DEGREES FERINHEIT, THE CANYON WILL BECOME COOL TO FREEZING IN THE LONG NIGHT. THE OVER ALL BEST TIME TO GO TO THE GRAND CANYON IS FROM MAY TO JUNE WHEN THE CANYON IS JUST ENDING SPRING. IN SPRING AND FALL IS THE BEST TIME FOR STORMS. THE WINDS COME FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT AN AVERAGE OF 5-15 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORMS BRING LITTLE TO NO RAINFALL,ABOUT 10 TO 30 INCHES ANNUALLY. MOST OF THE CANYONS IRREGATION COMES FROM ITS CENTRAL ARTERY, THE COLORADO RIVER. THE HIGH ROCKIES TO THE WEST PROVID THE CANYON WITH THE LEEWARD EFFECT. SINCE THE CANYON IS ON THE LEEWARD SIDE OF THE MOUTAINS THE PARK GETS ONLY A LITTLE PACIFIC STORMS.
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