Flood

Many South Dakotans are dealing with flood issues following recent blizzards and record-breaking rain.

View Resources

Wildlife

All Wildlife Content

white-tailed buck standing in a clearing with snow on the ground

Natural Resources & Conservation

South Dakota is home to many unique land, water and wildlife resources. Our experts and partners offer research-based information through to help people enjoy, preserve and profit from these natural resources.

Conservation, Grassland, Soil Health, Wildlife

screened image of South Dakota State University campus with News text

SDSU Student Prepares to Share His Farming and Hunting Story in 2018 Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic Precision Agriculture Workshop

December 19, 2018

Passionate about farming and hunting, South Dakota State University student Cole Berkley looks forward to sharing why he wants to farm and why he hunts at the Precision Agriculture Workshop at the 2018 National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic.

Range, Wildlife

A green front-end-loader pulling a hay mower with a flushing bar.

Haying With Wildlife in Mind

Anyone who has spent time cutting hay knows that hayland can be a magnet for wildlife in late spring and early summer. Hay fields are often considered an “ecological trap” for wildlife; that is, they appear to be high quality habitat for nesting or feeding due to tall, dense grass and legumes, but often lead to increased mortality once harvesting is under way.

Forage, Pasture, Wildlife, Beef Cattle, Conservation

two black beetles rolling a ball of dung

Promoting Dung Beetles on the Range

In South Dakota, dung beetles help regulate rangeland health through dung dispersal.

Range, Grassland, Soil Health, Forage, Beef Cattle, Wildlife, Conservation, Pasture

Several black beef cattle close together feeding.

Tuberculosis in Cattle: What you need to know

Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic and slowly progressive disease of cattle that emerges periodically in the US, as it has with a recent discovery in a Harding County, South Dakota, cattle herd.

Beef Cattle, Animal Health, Wildlife

a black tailed prairie dog resting on a mount

Prairie Dog Management in South Dakota

Prairie dogs are an important component of the grassland ecosystem, providing habitat to numerous plant and animal species.

Wildlife, Grassland, Range, Conservation

A group of white tail deer in a snowy clearing.

Give the Gift of Conservation This Christmas

The SDSU Natural Resources Management Department and SDSU Extension would like to wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and remind everyone that if you are shopping for a late holiday gift, consider giving the gift of conservation to yourself or someone else.

Conservation, Wildlife, Grassland

A swift fox with her young sitting in a grassy patch of rangeland.

Swift Fox Status on South Dakota’s Grasslands

The swift fox (Vulpes velox) is a small fox native to the short and mixed-grass prairies of the Great Plains. In 2014, I began my master’s research at South Dakota State University monitoring the population of swift foxes around Badlands National Park in southwestern South Dakota. This population has recently declined, possibly due to various biotic and abiotic factors.

Wildlife, Conservation, Grassland

Wildlife and the Bottom Line

As the fall harvest wraps up and this year’s calf crop is weaned, many producers may be nervous about what their paychecks will look like for 2016. In tough market conditions, it can be tempting to try to squeeze just a bit more production out of the land.

Wildlife, Conservation, Grassland, Pasture, Range