Are there rattlesnakes in South Dakota?
Short answer
Yes1 species
Prairie rattlesnake: Yes. The prairie rattlesnake lives in South Dakota. Open records come from 27 counties.
Where in South Dakota
- None recorded
- 1 species
- 2
- 3 to 4
- 5 or more
Rattlesnakes across the US
- Lives here
- Rare records
- Gone
- Not here
How to recognize one
Prairie rattlesnake Crotalus viridis
- Greenish gray to brown with dark blotches down the back
- Blotches narrow into bands near the tail
- Two pale lines on the side of the face
Dangerous. The only rattlesnake across most of the northern plains. A bite is a medical emergency.
Often mistaken for rattlesnakes
- Rattlesnake vs Gopher Snake Gopher snake: harmless, lives in South Dakota
- Eastern Diamondback vs Timber Rattlesnake Timber rattlesnake: dangerous
- Timber Rattlesnake vs Copperhead Copperhead: medically significant
- Western Diamondback vs Mojave Rattlesnake Mojave rattlesnake: dangerous
- Pygmy Rattlesnake vs Hognose Snake Eastern hognose snake: harmless, lives in South Dakota
Questions
Are there rattlesnakes in South Dakota?
Yes. 1 species live in South Dakota: Prairie rattlesnake.
What do rattlesnakes look like?
Dark diamonds with pale yellow edges down the back. Two pale diagonal stripes on each side of the face. Thick body and a rattle on the tail.