Wildlife of the Bighorn Basin

The Bighorn Basin is a special place.  It's beautiful.  It's rugged.  It's wild.

We are paleontologists, but it isn't just the life of the past that fascinates us.  The modern plants and animals of this dry landscape are just as captivating and worthy of our admiration.  Many are endangered - threatened by invasive species, habitat decline, or climate change. 

Take a few moments to enjoy the life and scenery captured on camera and assembled on this page, and learn more about the amazing wildlife of this special region.  

Alpine Avens

(Geum rossii)

Blanket Flower

(Gaillardia aristata)

Cushion Goldenweed

(Stenotus acaulis)

Bladder Campion

(Silene vulgaris)

Photos by D. Crumbling

Cushion Phlox

(Phlox Pulvinata)

Photos by D. Crumbling

White Campion

(Silene latifolia)

Showy Fleabane Daisy

(Erigeron speciosus)

Prairie Smoke

(Geum triflorum)

Parry's Lousewort

(Pedicularis parryi)

Photos by D. Crumbling

Meadow Goat's Beard

(Tragopogon dubius)

Non-Native Species

Photos by D. Crumbling

Globeflower

(Trollius laxus)

Fern-leaf Lousewort

(Pedicularis cystopteridifolia)

Dwarf Clover

(Trifolium nanum)

Fire Weed

(Chamerion angustifolium)

Photos by D. Crumbling & J. Schein

Howell's Pussytoes

(Antennaria howellii)

Photos by D. Crumbling

Lance-leaved Stonecrop

(Sedum lanceolatum)

Unknown

(Still Researching)

Nutall's Pussytoes

(Antennaria parvifolia)

Rocky Mountain Paintbrush

(Castilleja covilleana)

Photos by D. Crumbling & J. Schein

Sticky Geranium

(Geranium viscosissimum)

Photos by D. Crumbling

White Campion

(Silene latifolia)

Daisy

(Erigeron sp.)

Darkthroat Shootingstar

(Dodecatheon pulchellum)

Photos by J. Schein

Common Alplily (L) - Alpine Bluebell (R)

(Gagea serotina - Mertensia alpina)

Clematis Seed Heads

(cf. Clematis sp.)

American Bistort

(Polygonum bistortoides)

Photos by J. Schein

Sticky polemonium or Sky Pilot

(Polemonium viscosum)

Photos by J. Schein

Harebell

(Campanula rotunifolia)

Photos by J. Schein

Great Mullein

(Verbascum thapsus)

Edible, Medicinal, Noxious

Photo by J. Schein

Long-stalked stitchwort

(Stellaria longipes)

Photos by J. Schein

Tufted Evening Primrose

(Oenothera caespitosa)

Unknown

(Still Researching)

Plains PricklyPear Cactus

(Opuntia polycantha)

Matted or Cushion Cryptantha

(Cryptantha circumscissa)

Buckwheat

(Eriogonum sp.)

Salsify (?)

(Tragopogon dubius)

Shaggy Daisy

(Erigeron pumilus)

Cryptantha

(Cryptantha glomerate)

Cicada Milkvetch

(Astragalus chamaeleuce)

prince’s plume

(Stanleya pinnata)

Image by J. Schein