Badlands National Park

Fossil Exhibit Trail

1. A. What is the name of the fossilized tortoises found in the park?

B. What defense strategy do turtles and snails have in common?

C. Are turtles and snails common in Badlands National Park? Why or why not?

2. A. What did Merycoidon eat?

B. Although Merycoidon had fangs, what do the grinding teeth of herbivores generally look like?

3. A. How big could Archaeotherium heads be?

B. What is an omnivore?

C. List some other omnivores alive today.

4. A. Did Hyaenodon eat plants or animals?

B. Why are fossils of predators less common than fossils of their prey?

C. Describe a predator/prey relationship among animals found in Badlands National Park.

5. A. What animal was Hyracodon similar to?

B. Why is the animal Hyracodon is similar to also in danger of extinction?

C. Can you list any animals found in Badlands National Park that are in danger of extinction? Why are these animals in danger?

6. What animal is an ancestor of the horse?

7. What improvements would you make to the Fossil Exhibit Trail?