Broad-banded Copperhead (Agkistrodon laticinctus) Source: Bernard DUPONT – Under Creative Commons license. South Dakota Status: This species is monitored by the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program. Although it is importan t to realize the potential danger of some species, we … Many of these snakes are some of Mother Nature's most efficient predators. Amphibians and Reptiles of South Dakota. 17 species of snakes make their home in South Dakota. Here, you will find species accounts for all 45 species of amphibians and reptiles found in the state. North Dakota. Most of the time that meant a drowned water snake, and no minnows. Reptile Gardens is a premier South Dakota destination that houses some of the world’s deadliest snakes and is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s Largest Reptile Zoo. I talked to a rancher near Belle Fourche and he told me that some Rattlesnakes he has encountered on … Occasionally, the water snake would still be alive, and that resulted in a rodeo of boys, minnow trap, and nasty water snake. Any observations of this species should be reported to South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (report observation). Water moccasins are often confused with nonvenomous snakes, leading to the death of many harmless snakes. South Dakota snakes register at the sixteen species mark, however snake diversity in the state is a bit smaller due to the fact that a handful of the species have very limited ranges. Snakes play an important environmental role in the food chain, eating a variety of prey, including worms, insects, gophers, mice, birds, frogs, salamanders, and other reptiles. Proper management of lakes and water features is an essential part of any pest control program. The water snakes would swim into the minnow traps to get our minnows! South Dakota Snakes Snakes are probably the most misunderstood animals in the world. Information on this species is coming soon! Texas Coral Snake (Micrurus tener) There is also no reference made to reptiles generally, or snakes specifically, in South Dakota’s hunting regulations. South Dakota. The only venomous variety is of course the Prairie Rattlesnake, with it’s distinct rattle at the end of its tail. Tennessee. There are some in the area around Bismarck, too. There seems to be no law prohibiting the killing of snakes. If there’s anything more scintillating than a snake, it’s a snake in water. That being said, North Dakota is the furthest north American state (along with Montana) where you can find these snakes. There are no snake species considered endangered in South Dakota. In Tennessee, you can’t kill a wild snake without a permit. In South Dakota, the rattlesnake is the only snake that is dangerous to man or beast. That statement does not stand for the state’s only venomous snake, the Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii). Remarks: The Common Watersnake is not venomous but in other parts of its range is mistaken for the venomous cottonmouth. Reptile Gardens has more species and subspecies of reptiles than any other zoo or wild animal park in the world! Welcome to the Amphibians and Reptiles of South Dakota! If you want to find one, head to anywhere south of the Fort Berthold Reservation. Broadband Water Snake ( Nerodia fasciata confluens) Source: Peter Paplanus – Under Creative Commons license. Information on this species is coming soon! Water and Lake Management – Snakes typically look for damp places to live, near creeks, streams, lakes and other standing bodies of water. The only venomous snake species in North Dakota is the prairie rattlesnake.