They are native to the shortgrass prairie. Prairie dogs are diurnal animals and eat grasses and forbs. Prairie dogs are tan colored, have large eyes and short, black-tipped tails. They are cousins of ground squirrels but get their name because of the barking-like sound they make. They have strong claws for digging and big teeth for chewing.
Prairie dogs are very social animals and burrow long underground tunnels.
They live in family groups called coteries. A burrow can be anywhere from 12 to over 100 feet long. A group of burrows becomes a prairie dog town. After prairie dogs leave, the towns become home to many other animlas like burrowing owls, hares, snakes, lizards, and the black-footed ferrets.