Portrait of Zach Higgins.

Zach Higgins

Senior Coordinator, Land Management, Gillmor Sanctuary
About

Zach Higgins has had a lifelong fixation on all things critters. He moved from New Jersey to Utah in search of good snow and access to wildlands and wildlife. He studied wildlife ecology and conservation at the University of Utah. Since then, Zach has worked across the Great Basin on projects such as restoration of Salt Lake City’s natural lands, Mojave desert tortoise monitoring, Lahontan cutthroat trout reintroduction, and research on impacts to urban nesting raptors. When he is not managing land and monitoring birds at Gillmor Sanctuary, Zach enjoys any alternative modes of travel, especially by mountain bike, packraft, and splitboard.  

Articles by Zach Higgins

A juvenile Burrowing Owl looking out from a burrow entrance.
More Owls Nest at Gillmor Sanctuary Thanks to New Digs—Literally!
August 20, 2026 — New, artificial burrows at ÌÇÐÄlogo’s Gillmor Sanctuary welcome nesting Burrowing Owls.
A Burrowing Owl stands amongst tall grasses.
How Cutting Down Trees Helps a Unique Owl in Utah
August 20, 2026 — Restoring uplands at ÌÇÐÄlogo’s Gillmor Sanctuary invites Burrowing Owls and other grassland wildlife.
Banding Together for Burrowing Owls 
April 18, 2025 — ÌÇÐÄlogo staff digs deep, literally, to install new artificial burrows.