Utnapishtim is the flood survivor who preserves the story in the Epic of Gilgamesh.
In the flood narrative embedded in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the god Ea warns Utnapishtim to build a large boat and save living creatures, craftsmen, and provisions. After the flood, Utnapishtim releases birds to discover whether the waters have receded, echoing a motif also found in Genesis.
Utnapishtim’s story appears in Tablet XI of the standard Babylonian version of the epic. The episode is one of several ancient Near Eastern flood traditions that predate or are related to the cultural world in which the biblical flood narrative developed.
Utnapishtim is not the same character as Noah, although both are flood survivors who build a vessel and preserve life. Atrahasis is another Mesopotamian flood hero from a different literary tradition, which is why the names are sometimes confused.