The Little Missouri River supports a wide variety of plants and animals. Beavers, catfish, minnows, a variety of ducks and geese, and occasionally bald eagles and white pelicans utilize the river. The Little Missouri River represents the only aquatic environment in the park that can support fish. Many of the park's large animals, such as bison, wild horses, and deer, find water in the river. The flat lands adjacent to the Little Missouri River are part of its floodplain. These areas that occasionally flood are a unique habitat type in the park consisting of large cottonwood groves and meadows. See Floodplains for more information.