Reptiles and Amphibians of North Dakota

Ted Hoberg and Cully Gause

JPG -- Prairie Rattler

Originally published in:
North Dakota Outdoors
(July, 1992)

Official Publication of the
State Game and Fish Department
100 North Bismarck Expressway
Bismarck, North Dakota 58501-5095

The following guide to reptiles and amphibians of North Dakota is the work of Grand Forks teachers Ted Hoberg and Cully Gause. It is designed to give the curious reader a tool to identify some of the least understood of North Dakota's wildlife species.

Most of us are capable of identifying the generic toad or snake, but beyond that, how many of us know much more about what the various reptiles and amphibians are called, where they live, and what they eat?

This guide is not technical and is meant to be useful to anyone wanting to learn more about these secretive animals. It should be of particular interest to school students and to those who live in the countryside, where encounters with reptiles and amphibians are more likely to occur with greater frequency.

As you will learn, like various species of birds, reptiles and amphibians within the same species sometimes come in different colors. We have attempted to choose pictures that best represent each species treated. Range maps have also been provided showing where each species has been reported and also areas where they are likely to be found.

Enjoy!

This resource is based on the following source:

Hoberg, Ted and Cully Gause. 1992. Reptiles and amphibians of North Dakota. North Dakota Outdoors 55(1):7-19.

This resource should be cited as:

Hoberg, Ted and Cully Gause. 1992. Reptiles and amphibians of North Dakota. North Dakota Outdoors 55(1):7-19. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/herps/amrepnd/index.htm (Version 16JUL97).

For further information please contact:

     Cully T. Gause
     South Junior High School
     Grand Forks, North Dakota 58201

     Theodore D. Hoberg
     Twining School
     Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota 58203

Reptiles

Lizards: Northern Prairie Skink; Sagebrush Lizard; Short-horned Lizard
Turtles: Common Snapping Turtle; False Map Turtle; Smooth Softshell Turtle; Western Painted Turtle
Snakes: Bullsnake; Common Garter Snake; Plains Garter Snake; Prairie Rattlesnake; Racer; Redbelly Snake; Smooth Green Snake; Western Hognose Snake

Amphibians

Toads: American Toad; Canadian Toad; Great Plains Toad; Plains Spadefoot Toad; Woodhouse's Toad
Frogs: Gray Tree Frog; Northern Leopard Frog; Western Chorus Frog; Wood Frog
Salamanders: Mudpuppy; Tiger Salamander

Downloading Instructions -- Instructions on downloading and extracting files from this site.

amrepnd.zip (671K) -- Reptiles and Amphibians of North Dakota

Installation: Extract all files and open index.htm in a web browser.