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.
Flora in & Around the Bighorn Basin
Mountain Flora
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)
Parry's Lousewort
(Pedicularis parryi)
Photos by D. Crumbling
Prairie Smoke
(Geum triflorum)
Seed Head
Prairie Smoke
(Geum triflorum)
Flower
Globeflower
(Trollius laxus)
Meadow Goat's Beard
(Tragopogon dubius)
Non-Native Species
Photos by D. Crumbling
Fern-leaf Lousewort
(Pedicularis cystopteridifolia)
Fire Weed
(Chamerion angustifolium)
Photos by D. Crumbling & J. Schein
Howell's Pussytoes
(Antennaria howellii)
Photos by D. Crumbling
Dwarf Clover
(Trifolium nanum)
Lance-leaved Stonecrop
(Sedum lanceolatum)
Purple Monkeyflower
(Mimulus lewisii)
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
Long-stalked stitchwort
(Stellaria longipes)
Photos by J. Schein
Unknown
Photo by J. Schein
Great Mullein
(Verbascum thapsus)
Edible, Medicinal, Noxious
Photo by J. Schein
Little Larkspur
(Delphinium bicolor)
Basin Flora
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)
Blanketflower
(Gaillardia aristata)
Cryptantha
(Cryptantha glomerate)
Angelita Daisey
(Tetraneuris acaulis)
Unknown
(Still Researching)
Cicada Milkvetch
(Astragalus chamaeleuce)
Sego Lily
(Calochortus nuttalli)
Scarlet Globemallow
(Sphaeralcea coccinea)
Hoary Tansy-aster
(Machaeranthera canescens)
Beebalm, or Wild Bergamot
(Monarda fistulosa)
prince’s plume
(Stanleya pinnata)
Image by J. Schein