Hobbies And Interests
Mammals
The black-footed ferret is both a federally- and state-designated endangered species in South Dakota; no wild populations of the ferret have been known to live in South Dakota since 1964. The black bear is a state-designated threatened species due to hunting in some areas. The fringe-tailed myotis (a bat) and the marten are both rare in South Dakota; the myotis is a candidate for federal listing as an endangered or threatened species. The mountain lion, the river otter and the swift fox are all state-designated threatened species; the latter is a candidate for federal listing.
Birds
The Baird's sparrow is a rare bird in South Dakota that is being considered for federal listing; it breeds in the state. The bald eagle is still listed as a federally- and state-designated endangered species due to losses from the use of the pesticide DDT, although its populations have rebounded thanks to recovery efforts. The osprey is another state-designated threatened bird that suffered losses due to DDT, but is recovering. The Eskimo curlew, the least interior tern, the peregrine falcon, the piping plover and the whooping crane are all considered endangered both federally and by the state of South Dakota.
Reptiles
Three species of snakes are considered state-designated threatened species: the lined snake, the northern redbelly snake and the eastern hognose snake. While these species are harmless, they are often killed after being mistaken for dangerous species; they are also threatened due to habitat loss. Three species of turtle are also considered threatened in the state of South Dakota due to loss of their river habitats: Blanding's turtle, the false map turtle and the spiny softshell turtle. The short-horned lizard is considered rare in South Dakota; more research is needed to determine population sizes.
Fishes
A number of fish species are considered threatened or endangered by the state of North Dakota. These include the banded killfish, the central mudminnow, the finescale dace, the longnose sucker, the redbelly dace, the pearl dace, the sicklefin chub, the plains topminnow, the sturgeon chub and the trout-perch. Several of these are candidates for federal listing. The paddlefish is considered rare and is a candidate for federal listing as threatened or endangered; however, South Dakota has a successful program for recovering populations of this species.
Insects
The American burying beetle is a federally-designated endangered species; it hasn't been seen in the state since the 1940s. The Dakota skipper butterfly, the regal fritillary butterfly and the tawny crescent butterfly are all rare species being considered for federal listing. Their habitats in South Dakota have been affected by the conversion of prairies to agricultural land.