South Dakota Badlands Park Warns About Venomous Rattlesnakes

Badlands National Park posts a message about South Dakota's only venomous snake...the Prairie Rattlesnake.

The Badlands National Park in western South Dakota covers a total area of 244,300 acres or 382 square miles of rugged wilderness.

The name Badlands comes from the Lakota Indians meaning “land that is bad”.

The dramatic rocky landscapes with steep canyons and towering spires are home to bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and the venomous Prairie Rattlesnake. 

If you are planning a visit to the Badlands the Rangers posted this reminder concerning the Prairie Rattlesnake...

“We have sssseveral snake ssspecies here at the Badlandsss, but the one we get asked about the most is our Prairie Rattlesssnake. They are our only venomousss sssnake.

Did you know? Rattlesnakes can control the amount of venom they release.

And their tails are not actually rattles; they shake the muscles at the base of their tails, which vibrates the segments of their tail together, causing the rattling sound you hear.

Prairie Rattlesnakes can grow up to 5 feet in length and have dark spots on their tan/gray body.

Rattlesnakes (and all snakes) contribute immensely to the ecosystem! They regulate rodent populations and they're secondary seed dispersal reptiles - that means when snakes eat rodents (who eat berries, fruits, and other plants with seeds), they're helping disperse plant seeds when they excrete the remains of those rodents. Such helpful little guys!

All snakes are ectothermic (or cold-blooded), meaning they can’t regulate their own body heat!

If they get too cold, they go out into the sun; if they get too hot, they’ll go find some shade.

So, while you're out exploring our park, be mindful of where you put your hands and feet.

Snakes are a vital part of our ecosystem and we want to protect them by leaving them alone!

And if you're worried about running into a rattlesnake on your trip to the Badlands, keep an eye out of course and be safe, but trust us, the rattlesnakes don't want to hang out with you either... “