Badlands National Park

🇺🇸 United States

🦌 Pronghorn Sprint Badlands

🌍 #167 Global · 3.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #22 in North America #49 in Savanna & Grassland

United States, United States 426 spp. recorded

Badlands National Park is a rugged expanse of steep layered rock formations and mixed-grass prairie located in southwestern South Dakota. It differs from mountain or forest parks through its dramatic eroded buttes and deep gullies, crossed by open dirt trails that wind through expansive grasslands and sparse vegetation.

43.852° N 102.355° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

American Bison

Bison bison

90–100% · Very likely

Bighorn Sheep

Ovis canadensis

90–100% · Very likely

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Cynomys ludovicianus

90–100% · Very likely

Pronghorn

Antilocapra americana

70–80% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Western Meadowlark

Sturnella neglecta

90–100% · Very likely

Mourning Dove

Zenaida macroura

80–90% · Very likely

Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus

70–80% · Likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

60–70% · Likely

Rock Wren

Salpinctes obsoletus

60–70% · Likely

Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

50–60% · Likely

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

50–60% · Likely

Prairie Rattlesnake

Crotalus viridis

50–60% · Likely

Tamia mineur

Tamias minimus

50–60% · Likely

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

50–60% · Likely

Horned Lark

Eremophila alpestris

40–50% · Likely

Say's Phoebe

Sayornis saya

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

American Bison

Bison bison

90–100% · Very likely

Bighorn Sheep

Ovis canadensis

90–100% · Very likely

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Cynomys ludovicianus

90–100% · Very likely

Pronghorn

Antilocapra americana

70–80% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus

70–80% · Likely

Tamia mineur

Tamias minimus

50–60% · Likely

Desert Cottontail

Sylvilagus audubonii

40–50% · Likely

Coyote

Canis latrans

40–50% · Likely

American Badger

Taxidea taxus

30–40% · Possible

Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel

Ictidomys tridecemlineatus

20–30% · Possible

Quiller

Erethizon dorsatus

20–30% · Possible

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

10–20% · Possible

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

10–20% · Possible

Mountain Cottontail

Sylvilagus nuttallii

10–20% · With luck

White-tailed Jackrabbit

Lepus townsendii

10–20% · With luck

Black-footed Ferret

Mustela nigripes

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Western Meadowlark

Sturnella neglecta

90–100% · Very likely

Mourning Dove

Zenaida macroura

80–90% · Very likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

60–70% · Likely

Rock Wren

Salpinctes obsoletus

60–70% · Likely

Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

50–60% · Likely

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

50–60% · Likely

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

50–60% · Likely

Horned Lark

Eremophila alpestris

40–50% · Likely

Say's Phoebe

Sayornis saya

40–50% · Likely

Lark Sparrow

Chondestes grammacus

40–50% · Likely

Common Grackle

Quiscalus quiscula

40–50% · Likely

Black-billed Magpie

Pica hudsonia

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Prairie Rattlesnake

Crotalus viridis

50–60% · Likely

Gopher Snake

Pituophis catenifer

40–50% · Likely

North American Racer

Coluber constrictor

30–40% · Possible

Plains Garter Snake

Thamnophis radix

30–40% · Possible

Painted Turtle

Chrysemys picta

20–30% · Possible

Western Box Turtle

Terrapene ornata

10–20% · With luck

Plains Hognose Snake

Heterodon nasicus

10–20% · With luck

Snapping Turtle

Chelydra serpentina

Insufficient data

Common Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

Insufficient data

Six-lined Racerunner

Aspidoscelis sexlineatus

Insufficient data

Sagebrush Lizard

Sceloporus graciosus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Woodhouse's Toad

Anaxyrus woodhousii

40–50% · Likely

Great Plains Toad

Anaxyrus cognatus

30–40% · Possible

Northern Leopard Frog

Lithobates pipiens

30–40% · Possible

Boreal Chorus Frog

Pseudacris maculata

20–30% · Possible

Western Tiger Salamander

Ambystoma mavortium

10–20% · With luck

American Bullfrog

Lithobates catesbeianus

Insufficient data

Plains Spadefoot

Spea bombifrons

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦌

Pronghorn Winter Herding

FebDec

During the colder winter months, pronghorn gather into larger herds across the open snow-dusted prairies for increased predator vigilance and resource sharing.

Pronghorn

Antilocapra americana

70–80% · Very likely

🦌

Badger Spring Foraging

MarMay

Spring brings increased activity as badgers emerge to hunt for rodents across the thawing prairie sod, often utilizing abandoned burrows.

American Badger

Taxidea taxus

30–40% · Possible

🦎

Reptile Emergence and Basking

JunJul

Warm summer conditions prompt ectotherms like rattlesnakes and racers to emerge from winter hibernacula, frequently basking along rocky outcrops and trails.

Gopher Snake

Pituophis catenifer

40–50% · Likely

Prairie Rattlesnake

Crotalus viridis

50–60% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

80–90

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

80–90

80–90

80–90

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

90–100

90–100

80–90

80–90

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

80–90

40–50

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

60–70

80–90

Western Meadowlark

80–90

90–100

80–90

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

80–90

70–80

80–90

70–80

80–90

60–70

80–90

80–90

80–90

90–100

80–90

60–70

40–50

60–70

60–70

80–90

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

80–90

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

50–60

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

70–80

60–70

30–40

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

40–50

20–30

60–70

80–90

80–90

30–40

0–10

20–30

40–50

40–50

Red-winged Blackbird

50–60

50–60

40–50

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

20–30

20–30

30–40

40–50

40–50

Prairie Rattlesnake

30–40

30–40

10–20

30–40

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

40–50

40–50

40–50

20–30

30–40

30–40

10–20

10–20

40–50

40–50

40–50

60–70

70–80

60–70

40–50

20–30

40–50

50–60

40–50

20–30

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

20–30

20–30

30–40

30–40

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

30–40

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

40–50

40–50

30–40

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

10–20

30–40

30–40

Animal Events

🦌 Pronghorn Winter Herding

🦌 Badger Spring Foraging

🦎 Reptile Emergence and Basking

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Good

🦌 Pronghorn Sprint Badlands

🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

3.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

309

🐒 Mammals

86

🦎 Reptiles

21

🐸 Amphibians

10

426 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

15 Threatened 64 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Very good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

3.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

75%

📊

Coverage (106 species at ≥5% of 426 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

25%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (6 bird, 5 mammal, 1 reptile)

47% Global avg

76%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

71

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

7

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

27

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