Rapid City

Ecosystem Overview

The Rapid City ecosystem supports 100 documented wildlife species across 94 taxonomic genera. Located in Pennington County, South Dakota, this area provides critical habitat with diverse natural communities. The location hosts 21 frequently observed species and 19 occasionally documented species, creating a balanced ecosystem with both resident and visiting wildlife. This location ranks #2 for species diversity among 8 Pennington County County natural areas, placing it in the 75th percentile for biodiversity.

Biodiversity Highlights

100

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 8 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#2 of 8 locations

75th percentile for diversity

vs. Pennington County

0% species diversity

Ecosystem Overview

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Biodiversity Highlights

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Species Distribution

Very Common‌

Common‌

Occasional‌

Rare‌

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

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Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 100 total documented species.

Odocoileus hemionus

mule deer

Very Common8 obs.

Passer domesticus

House Sparrow

Very Common7 obs.

Turdus migratorius

American Robin

Very Common7 obs.

Acer negundo

ash-leaved maple, box-elder

Very Common7 obs.

Sympetrum semicinctum

Band-Winged Meadowhawk

Very Common6 obs.

Daucus carota

wild carrot

Common5 obs.

Sciurus niger

Cat Squirrel

Common5 obs.

Coccinella septempunctata

7-spot ladybird

Common5 obs.

Aix sponsa

wood duck

Common4 obs.

Anas platyrhynchos

mallard

Common4 obs.

Agelaius phoeniceus

Red-Winged Blackbird (Red-Winged)

Common4 obs.

Mantis religiosa

European mantis

Occasional4 obs.

Echinocystis lobata

Wild cucumber

Occasional4 obs.

Quiscalus quiscula

Common Grackle

Occasional3 obs.

Verbascum thapsus

Aaron'S-Rod

Occasional3 obs.

Rhamnus cathartica

purging buckthorn

Occasional3 obs.

Medicago lupulina

Black medick

Occasional3 obs.

Solanum dulcamara

bittersweet, woody nightshade

Rare3 obs.

Cynoglossum officinale

Common houndstongue

Rare3 obs.

Thamnophis radix

Plains Garter Snake

Rare3 obs.

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Most Common Species

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Get Your Personalized Field Guide

Download a professional PDF field guide featuring all the species found in Rapid City. Perfect for outdoor adventures, education, and nature exploration.

$6.99

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

+525%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 7 nearby locations in Pennington County County, South Dakota

Nearby Natural Areas

Pennington County

Importance: 0.38

100 species

0% vs. current

Rapid Valley

Importance: 0.36

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Pactola Lake

Importance: 0.35

5 species

+1900% vs. current

Wall

Importance: 0.28

3 species

+3233% vs. current

Keystone

Importance: 0.28

4 species

+2400% vs. current

Wasta

Importance: 0.26

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Canyon Lake

in Rapid City

Importance: 0.20

1 species

+9900% vs. current

About This Comparison

These comparisons are based on documented wildlife observations from citizen science data. Locations with higher species counts may have more observation activity, different habitat types, or larger coverage areas. Regional rankings help identify biodiversity hotspots and unique natural areas within Pennington County County.

Regional Comparison

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Regional Ranking

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Species Count

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vs. Regional Average

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Nearby Natural Areas

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About This Comparison

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

+525%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 7 nearby locations in Pennington County County, South Dakota

Nearby Natural Areas

Pennington County

Importance: 0.38

100 species

0% vs. current

Rapid Valley

Importance: 0.36

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Pactola Lake

Importance: 0.35

5 species

+1900% vs. current

Wall

Importance: 0.28

3 species

+3233% vs. current

Keystone

Importance: 0.28

4 species

+2400% vs. current

Wasta

Importance: 0.26

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Canyon Lake

in Rapid City

Importance: 0.20

1 species

+9900% vs. current

About This Comparison

Ecosystem Overview

Biodiversity Highlights

100

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 8 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#2 of 8 locations

75th percentile for diversity

vs. Pennington County

0% species diversity

Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 100 total documented species.

Odocoileus hemionus

mule deer

Very Common8 obs.

Passer domesticus

House Sparrow

Very Common7 obs.

Turdus migratorius

American Robin

Very Common7 obs.

Acer negundo

ash-leaved maple, box-elder

Very Common7 obs.

Sympetrum semicinctum

Band-Winged Meadowhawk

Very Common6 obs.

Daucus carota

wild carrot

Common5 obs.

Sciurus niger

Cat Squirrel

Common5 obs.

Coccinella septempunctata

7-spot ladybird

Common5 obs.

Aix sponsa

wood duck

Common4 obs.

Anas platyrhynchos

mallard

Common4 obs.

Agelaius phoeniceus

Red-Winged Blackbird (Red-Winged)

Common4 obs.

Mantis religiosa

European mantis

Occasional4 obs.

Echinocystis lobata

Wild cucumber

Occasional4 obs.

Quiscalus quiscula

Common Grackle

Occasional3 obs.

Verbascum thapsus

Aaron'S-Rod

Occasional3 obs.

Rhamnus cathartica

purging buckthorn

Occasional3 obs.

Medicago lupulina

Black medick

Occasional3 obs.

Solanum dulcamara

bittersweet, woody nightshade

Rare3 obs.

Cynoglossum officinale

Common houndstongue

Rare3 obs.

Thamnophis radix

Plains Garter Snake

Rare3 obs.

Want the Complete Field Guide?

Get all 100 species with 3-4 high-quality images each, detailed descriptions, and a downloadable PDF for offline use.

Premium field guide includes identification tips, seasonal patterns, and professional layout optimized for field use.