Wildlife
What lives in Hot Springs
Last verified NPS species database
Every animal below comes from the National Park Service’s own species list for Hot Springs: 38 mammals, 106 birds, 18 reptiles, 13 amphibians and 28 fish recorded as present. Status words (present, unconfirmed, not in park) are the NPS’s, not ours.
Animals people ask about
Black bear
Ursus americanus
Coyote
Canis latrans
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Rattlesnakes
Crotalus horridus · any rattlesnake species
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus · Uncommon
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos · Occasional
By group
Species counts
Present or probably present per the NPS list. “Listed” includes species the NPS has evaluated but marks unconfirmed or not in park.
- Mammals
- 49
- 52 listed · 3 non-native
- Birds
- 114
- 387 listed · 20 non-native
- Reptiles
- 45
- 52 listed
- Amphibians
- 22
- 27 listed
- Fish
- 52
- 90 listed · 2 non-native
Endangered Species Act
1 threatened or endangered species
Federal listing status as recorded in the NPS species database.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Bat | Myotis septentrionalis | Endangered |
Mammals
All 49 mammals recorded in Hot Springs
Most abundant first, as the NPS rates them.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Beaver | Castor canadensis | |||
| American Black Bear | Ursus americanus | |||
| American Mink | Mustela vison | |||
| Attwater's Mouse | Peromyscus attwateri | |||
| Bee shrew | Cryptotis parva | |||
| Big Brown Bat | Eptesicus fuscus | |||
| Black Bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | |||
| Black Rat | Rattus rattus | Probably Present | ||
| Bobcat | Lynx rufus | |||
| Brazilian Free-tailed Bat | Tadarida brasiliensis | |||
| Brown Rat | Rattus norvegicus | Non-native | ||
| Common Gray Fox | Urocyon cinereoargenteus |
Show the other 37 mammals ↓The other 37
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Muskrat | Ondatra zibethicus | |||
| Common Otter | Lontra canadensis | |||
| Common raccoon | Procyon lotor | |||
| Cotton Deermouse | Peromyscus gossypinus | Probably Present | ||
| Coyote | Canis latrans | Probably Present | ||
| Cross Fox | Vulpes vulpes | |||
| Deer Mouse | Peromyscus maniculatus | Probably Present | ||
| Eastern Chipmunk | Tamias striatus | |||
| Eastern Cottontail | Sylvilagus floridanus | |||
| Eastern Fox Squirrel | Sciurus niger | Probably Present | ||
| Eastern Gray Squirrel | Sciurus carolinensis | |||
| Eastern Mole | Scalopus aquaticus | |||
| Eastern Pipistrelle | Pipistrellus subflavus | |||
| Eastern Red Bat | Lasiurus borealis | |||
| Eastern Woodrat | Neotoma floridana | |||
| Elliot's Short-tailed Shrew | Blarina hylophaga | Probably Present | ||
| Evening Bat | Nycticeius humeralis | |||
| Fulvous Harvest Mouse | Reithrodontomys fulvescens | Probably Present | ||
| Golden Mouse | Ochrotomys nuttalli | |||
| Groundhog | Marmota monax | |||
| Hispid Cotton Rat | Sigmodon hispidus | |||
| Hoary Bat | Lasiurus cinereus | |||
| House Mouse | Mus musculus | Non-native | ||
| Little Brown Bat | Myotis lucifugus | |||
| Long-nosed armadillo | Dasypus novemcinctus | Non-native | ||
| Long-tailed Weasel | Mustela frenata | Probably Present | ||
| Mole shrew | Blarina brevicauda | |||
| Northern Bat | Myotis septentrionalis | Endangered | ||
| Pine Vole | Microtus pinetorum | Probably Present | ||
| Southeastern Myotis | Myotis austroriparius | |||
| Southeastern Shrew | Sorex longirostris | Probably Present | ||
| Southern Flying Squirrel | Glaucomys volans | |||
| Southern Short-tailed Shrew | Blarina carolinensis | |||
| Striped Skunk | Mephitis mephitis | |||
| Virginia Opossum | Didelphis virginiana | |||
| White-footed Deermouse | Peromyscus leucopus | |||
| White-tailed Deer | Odocoileus virginianus | Probably Present |
Birds
114 birds — show the list ↓
Birds
114 birds — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | Accipiter striatus | Non-native | |
| Common Teal | Anas crecca | Non-native | |
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | Non-native | |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Archilochus colubris | ||
| Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | ||
| Cedar Waxwing | Bombycilla cedrorum | ||
| Canada Goose | Branta canadensis | Non-native | |
| Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus | ||
| Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | ||
| Red-shouldered Hawk | Buteo lineatus | ||
| Broad-winged Hawk | Buteo platypterus | ||
| Chuck-will's-widow | Caprimulgus carolinensis | ||
| Whip-poor-will | Caprimulgus vociferus | ||
| Northern Cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | ||
| Pine Siskin | Carduelis pinus | ||
| American Goldfinch | Carduelis tristis | Non-native | |
| Purple Finch | Carpodacus purpureus | Non-native | |
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | ||
| Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus | Non-native | |
| Gray-cheeked Thrush | Catharus minimus | Probably Present | Non-native |
| Swainson's Thrush | Catharus ustulatus | Probably Present | Non-native |
| Brown Creeper | Certhia americana | ||
| Belted Kingfisher | Ceryle alcyon | ||
| Chimney Swift | Chaetura pelagica | ||
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | ||
| Blue Goose | Chen caerulescens | Non-native | |
| Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | ||
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | Coccyzus americanus | ||
| Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | ||
| Northern Bobwhite | Colinus virginianus | ||
| Rock dove | Columba fasciata | ||
| Eastern Wood Pewee | Contopus virens | ||
| Black Vulture | Coragyps atratus | ||
| American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos | ||
| Fish Crow | Corvus ossifragus | ||
| Blue Jay | Cyanocitta cristata | ||
| Dendroica castanea | Dendroica castanea | Non-native | |
| Dendroica coronata | Dendroica coronata | ||
| Dendroica dominica | Dendroica dominica | ||
| Dendroica fusca | Dendroica fusca | Non-native | |
| Dendroica magnolia | Dendroica magnolia | ||
| Dendroica pensylvanica | Dendroica pensylvanica | Non-native | |
| Dendroica petechia | Dendroica petechia | Non-native | |
| Dendroica pinus | Dendroica pinus | ||
| Dendroica virens | Dendroica virens | Non-native | |
| Pileated Woodpecker | Dryocopus pileatus | ||
| Gray Catbird | Dumetella carolinensis | ||
| Little Blue Heron | Egretta caerulea | Non-native | |
| Merlin | Falco columbarius | Probably Present | |
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | ||
| Greater Roadrunner | Geococcyx californianus | ||
| Common Yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | ||
| Blue Grosbeak | Guiraca caerulea | ||
| Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | ||
| Helmitheros vermivorus | Helmitheros vermivorus | ||
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | ||
| Wood Thrush | Hylocichla mustelina | ||
| Yellow-breasted Chat | Icteria virens | ||
| Baltimore Oriole | Icterus galbula | ||
| Orchard Oriole | Icterus spurius | ||
| Dark-eyed Junco | Junco hyemalis | ||
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | Melanerpes carolinus | ||
| Red-headed Woodpecker | Melanerpes erythrocephalus | ||
| Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo | ||
| Northern Mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | ||
| Black-and-white Warbler | Mniotilta varia | ||
| Brown-headed Cowbird | Molothrus ater | ||
| Great Crested Flycatcher | Myiarchus crinitus | ||
| Oporornis formosus | Oporornis formosus | ||
| Eastern Screech-Owl | Otus asio | ||
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | Non-native | |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | ||
| Fox Sparrow | Passerella iliaca | ||
| Indigo Bunting | Passerina cyanea | ||
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Pheucticus ludovicianus | Non-native | |
| Downy Woodpecker | Picoides pubescens | ||
| Hairy Woodpecker | Picoides villosus | ||
| Eastern Towhee | Pipilo erythrophthalmus | ||
| Scarlet Tanager | Piranga olivacea | Probably Present | |
| Summer Tanager | Piranga rubra | ||
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Polioptila caerulea | ||
| Purple Martin | Progne subis | ||
| Prothonotary Warbler | Protonotaria citrea | Probably Present | |
| Common Grackle | Quiscalus quiscula | ||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Regulus calendula | ||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | Regulus satrapa | ||
| Eastern Phoebe | Sayornis phoebe | ||
| American Woodcock | Scolopax minor | ||
| Seiurus aurocapillus | Seiurus aurocapillus | Probably Present | |
| Seiurus motacilla | Seiurus motacilla | ||
| American Redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | Non-native | |
| Eastern Bluebird | Sialia sialis | ||
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta canadensis | ||
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis | ||
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus varius | ||
| Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina | ||
| Field Sparrow | Spizella pusilla | ||
| Barred Owl | Strix varia | ||
| Eastern Meadowlark | Sturnella magna | Probably Present | |
| Common Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | ||
| Carolina Wren | Thryothorus ludovicianus | ||
| Brown Thrasher | Toxostoma rufum | ||
| Winter Wren | Troglodytes troglodytes | ||
| American Robin | Turdus migratorius | ||
| Eastern Kingbird | Tyrannus tyrannus | ||
| Vermivora celata | Vermivora celata | Probably Present | Non-native |
| Vermivora peregrina | Vermivora peregrina | Non-native | |
| Vermivora pinus | Vermivora pinus | Non-native | |
| Vermivora ruficapilla | Vermivora ruficapilla | Non-native | |
| White-eyed Vireo | Vireo griseus | ||
| Red-eyed Vireo | Vireo olivaceus | ||
| Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | ||
| White-throated Sparrow | Zonotrichia albicollis | ||
| White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys |
Reptiles
45 reptiles — show the list ↓
Reptiles
45 reptiles — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Copperhead | Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix | Uncommon | ||
| Western Cottonmouth | Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma | Common | ||
| Green Anole | Anolis carolinensis | |||
| Midland Smooth Softshell | Apalone mutica mutica | Probably Present | ||
| Western Spiny Softshell Turtle | Apalone spinifera hartwegi | Probably Present | ||
| Western Worm Snake | Carphophis vermis | Uncommon | ||
| Northern Scarlet Snake | Cemophora coccinea copei | Probably Present | ||
| Common Snapping Turtle | Chelydra serpentina serpentina | Common | ||
| Prairie Racerunner | Cnemidophorus sexlineatus viridis | Uncommon | ||
| Southern Black Racer | Coluber constrictor priapus | Probably Present | ||
| Timber Rattlesnake | Crotalus horridus | Probably Present | ||
| Mississippi Ringneck Snake | Diadophis punctatus stictogenys | Probably Present | ||
| Great Plains Rat Snake | Elaphe guttata emoryi | Probably Present | ||
| Texas Ratsnake | Elaphe obsoleta | Probably Present | ||
| Southern Coal Skink | Eumeces anthracinus pluvialis | Probably Present | ||
| Five-lined Skink | Eumeces fasciatus | Probably Present | ||
| Broad-headed Skink | Eumeces laticeps | Probably Present | ||
| Common Map Turtle | Graptemys geographica | Probably Present | ||
| Mississippi Map Turtle | Graptemys kohnii | Probably Present | ||
| Heterodon platyrhinos | Heterodon platyrhinos | |||
| Mississippi Mud Turtle | Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis | Probably Present | ||
| Prairie Kingsnake | Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster | Probably Present | ||
| Speckled Kingsnake | Lampropeltis getula holbrooki | |||
| Red Milk Snake | Lampropeltis triangulum syspila | Probably Present | ||
| Alligator snapping turtle | Macroclemys temminckii | Probably Present | ||
| Yellow-bellied Water Snake | Nerodia erythrogaster flavigaster | Uncommon | ||
| Broad-banded Water Snake | Nerodia fasciata confluens | Probably Present | ||
| Diamondback Water Snake | Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer | Probably Present | ||
| Midland Water Snake | Nerodia sipedon pleuralis | Common | ||
| Rough Green Snake | Opheodrys aestivus | |||
| Western Slender Glass Lizard | Ophisaurus attenuatus attenuatus | Probably Present | ||
| River Cooter | Pseudemys concinna | Common | ||
| Northern Fence Lizard | Sceloporus undulatus hyacinthinus | Probably Present | ||
| Ground Skink | Scincella lateralis | Probably Present | ||
| Razor-backed Musk Turtle | Sternotherus carinatus | Probably Present | ||
| Common Musk Turtle | Sternotherus odoratus | Common | ||
| Midland Brown Snake | Storeria dekayi wrightorum | |||
| Northern Redbelly Snake | Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata | |||
| Flathead Snake | Tantilla gracilis | |||
| Three-toed Box Turtle | Terrapene carolina triunguis | Probably Present | ||
| Orange-striped Ribbonsnake | Thamnophis proximus proximus | Probably Present | ||
| Eastern Garter Snake | Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis | |||
| Red-eared Slider | Trachemys scripta elegans | Common | ||
| Rough Earth Snake | Virginia striatula | Probably Present | ||
| Western Earth Snake | Virginia valeriae elegans | Probably Present |
Amphibians
22 amphibians — show the list ↓
Amphibians
22 amphibians — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blanchard's Cricket Frog | Acris crepitans blanchardi | Common | ||
| Ringed Salamander | Ambystoma annulatum | Probably Present | ||
| Spotted Salamander | Ambystoma maculatum | Uncommon | ||
| Mole Salamander | Ambystoma talpoideum | Probably Present | ||
| Dwarf American Toad | Bufo americanus charlesmithi | Common | ||
| Fowler's Toad | Bufo woodhousii fowleri | Rare | ||
| Ouachita Dusky Salamander | Desmognathus brimleyorum | Uncommon | ||
| Graybelly Salamander | Eurycea multiplicata griseogaster | Probably Present | ||
| Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad | Gastrophryne carolinensis | Uncommon | ||
| Four-toed Salamander | Hemidactylium scutatum | Probably Present | ||
| Cope's Gray Treefrog | Hyla chrysoscelis | Common | ||
| Green Tree Frog | Hyla cinerea | Common | ||
| Red River Mudpuppy | Necturus maculosus louisianensis | Probably Present | ||
| Central Newt | Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis | Probably Present | ||
| Western Slimy Salamander | Plethodon albagula | Probably Present | ||
| Southern Red-backed Salamander | Plethodon serratus | Probably Present | ||
| Northern Spring Peeper | Pseudacris crucifer crucifer | Common | ||
| Pseudacris triseriata feriarum | Pseudacris triseriata feriarum | Uncommon | ||
| American Bullfrog | Rana catesbeiana | Common | ||
| Green Frog | Rana clamitans melanota | Common | ||
| Southern Leopard Frog | Rana sphenocephala | Common | ||
| Western Lesser Siren | Siren intermedia nettingi | Probably Present |
Fish
52 fish — show the list ↓
Fish
52 fish — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | Ameiurus melas | Probably Present | ||
| Yellow Bullhead | Ameiurus natalis | Common | ||
| Pirate perch | Aphredoderus sayanus | Uncommon | ||
| Central Stoneroller | Campostoma anomalum | Abundant | ||
| Goldfish | Carassius auratus | Probably Present | Non-native | |
| Grass carp | Ctenopharyngodon idella | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Steelcolor Shiner | Cyprinella whipplei | Probably Present | ||
| Common carp | Cyprinus carpio | Rare | Non-native | |
| American gizzard shad | Dorosoma cepedianum | Probably Present | ||
| Creek chubsucker | Erimyzon oblongus | Uncommon | ||
| Grass pickerel | Esox americanus | Probably Present | ||
| Chain pickerel | Esox niger | Probably Present | ||
| Greenside Darter | Etheostoma blennioides | Uncommon | ||
| Bluntnose Darter | Etheostoma chlorosomum | Probably Present | ||
| Creole Darter | Etheostoma collettei | Probably Present | ||
| Cypress Darter | Etheostoma proeliare | Probably Present | ||
| Orangebelly Darter | Etheostoma radiosum | Abundant | ||
| Speckled Darter | Etheostoma stigmaeum | Probably Present | ||
| Banded Darter | Etheostoma zonale | Probably Present | ||
| Northern studfish | Fundulus catenatus | Uncommon | ||
| Blackspotted topminnow | Fundulus olivaceus | Common | ||
| Mosquitofish | Gambusia affinis | Rare | ||
| Northern Hog Sucker | Hypentelium nigricans | Common | ||
| Chestnut lamprey | Ichthyomyzon castaneus | Probably Present | ||
| Channel Catfish | Ictalurus punctatus | Rare | ||
| Brook silverside | Labidesthes sicculus | Probably Present | ||
| Green Sunfish | Lepomis cyanellus | Common | ||
| Lepomis cyanellus X macrochirus | Lepomis cyanellus X macrochirus | Common | ||
| Warmouth | Lepomis gulosus | Uncommon | ||
| Bluegill | Lepomis macrochirus | Common | ||
| Longear Sunfish | Lepomis megalotis | Abundant | ||
| Redear Sunfish | Lepomis microlophus | Common | ||
| Striped Shiner | Luxilus chrysocephalus | Common | ||
| Redfin Shiner | Lythrurus umbratilis | Probably Present | ||
| Smallmouth Bass | Micropterus dolomieu | Probably Present | ||
| Spotted Bass | Micropterus punctulatus | Uncommon | ||
| Largemouth Bass | Micropterus salmoides | Common | ||
| Spotted Sucker | Minytrema melanops | Probably Present | ||
| Golden Redhorse | Moxostoma erythrurum | Uncommon | ||
| Golden Shiner | Notemigonus crysoleucas | Probably Present | Non-native | |
| Bigeye Shiner | Notropis boops | Common | ||
| Tadpole Madtom | Noturus gyrinus | Probably Present | ||
| Ouachita Madtom | Noturus lachneri | Uncommon | ||
| Brindled Madtom | Noturus miurus | Probably Present | ||
| Freckled Madtom | Noturus nocturnus | Probably Present | ||
| Logperch | Percina caprodes | Uncommon | ||
| Bluntnose Minnow | Pimephales notatus | Uncommon | ||
| Fathead Minnow | Pimephales promelas | Probably Present | Non-native | |
| Slim Minnow | Pimephales tenellus | Probably Present | ||
| White Crappie | Pomoxis annularis | Probably Present | ||
| Black Crappie | Pomoxis nigromaculatus | Probably Present | ||
| Creek Chub | Semotilus atromaculatus | Common |
Where this comes from
NPSpecies is the National Park Service’s database of the species documented in each park. We show its vertebrate lists as published: a species is “present” when the park has confirmed it, “unconfirmed” when reports exist without verification, and “not in park” when the NPS has ruled it out (often tagged “historical” for animals that once lived there). Lists lag reality by months or years and seeing an animal is never guaranteed. Plants, insects and other invertebrates are not included here. Browse the full NPSpecies list for Hot Springs.
Sources · 2
- 1.NPSpecies — the National Park Service species database (IRMA), full and detail species lists — Hot Springs (HOSP) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 2.Hot Springs National Park — Nature & wildlife (nps.gov) · National Park Service
FAQ
Hot Springs wildlife questions
- Are there bears in Hot Springs?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Hot Springs records black bear as present.
- Are there wolves in Hot Springs?
- The NPS species list for Hot Springs does not include gray wolf, so there is no record of them in the park.
- Are there mountain lions in Hot Springs?
- The NPS species list for Hot Springs does not include mountain lion, so there is no record of them in the park.
- Are there rattlesnakes in Hot Springs?
- Probably. The NPS lists rattlesnakes as "probably present" in Hot Springs.
- How many animal species live in Hot Springs?
- The NPS species database lists 38 mammal, 106 bird, 18 reptile, 13 amphibian and 28 fish species as present or probably present in Hot Springs, including 1 federally threatened or endangered species. Plants and invertebrates are not counted here.
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