North Dakota : Flora Fauna

North Dakota is predominantly a region of prairie and plains, although the American elm, green ash, box elder, and cottonwood grow there. Other commonly found plants are those of cranberries, juneberries, and wild grapes. Indian, blue, grama, and buffalo grasses grow on the plains. The state flower is the wild prairie rose. The western prairie fringed orchid was the only plant species classified as threatened in 2003. No plant species were listed as endangered that year by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The white-tailed and mule deer and pronghorn antelope have been restored after being on the verge of extinction. Surprisingly, the elk and grizzly bear which were both common until about 1880, disappeared by 1900.  Bighorn sheep which was reintroduced in 1956, are beginning to flourish. North Dakota claims more wild ducks than any other state except Alaska.