By: Bennett Gorbatoff

Badlands National Park Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA

 People have been fascinated by the Badlands throughout history.  Native American stories and legends recognize the Badlands geology, landscape, and fossils.  Early Europeans, homesteaders, ranchers, and the state of South Dakota also recognized the Badlands and wanted to protect it.  The Badlands National Monument was established in  It was redesignated Badlands National Park on November 10,  There are over 200,000 acres of protected land within the park consisting of spires, a grass prairie, eroded buttes, and pinnacles.  The National Park Service manages the park.  The Oglala Lakota Tribe also helps manage some areas of the park.

 The landscape is roughly half badlands geologic formations and half mixed grass prairie ecosystem.  The Badlands geologic formations are made up of rugged spires and deep canyons.  The mixed grass prairie ecosystem is alive with a variety of plants and animals.  Scientists have found 39 mammal species, 9 reptile species, 6 amphibian species, 206 bird species, and 69 butterfly species.  The park also contains fossil resources.  The White River Badlands contains the largest known number of late Eocene and Oligocene mammal fossils.  Fossil research from the Badlands has given significant information to the science of vertebrate paleontology in North America.

Fossil Poaching  A major concern at Badlands National Park.  Park Rangers educate the public and visitors about the importance of not taking fossils from the park. Prairie Fires  Have occurred naturally through lightening for centuries.  Native American used to start fires to move out animals.  In the 20 th century, people started stopping fires.  The Park now has an active fire management program.  Each year the park burns a set number of acres of prairie. The prairies recover quickly, usually in 3 to 4 weeks.

Reintroduction of the Black-Footed Ferret  Badlands National Park was selected as one of the areas in the U.S. to reintroduce the endangered black-footed ferret.  Approximately 25 to 30 ferrets now live in the Badlands.  The wild born ferrets in the park are now producing babies of their own.

 United States. National Park Service. "Badlands National Park (U.S. National Park Service)." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 18 Nov Web. 18 Nov  BasicPlanet. "Badlands National Park." Earth Facts and Information. Bioexpedition, Web. 18 Nov  DO CITATOIN FOR VISITOR GUIDE LINK IN FAVORITES  FIX LATER: