prairie dog | rodent | Britannica.com Prairie dog marmot Prairie dog (genus Cynomys), any of five species of burrowing, colony-forming squirrels that inhabit plains, high plateaus, and montane valleys in North America . Their short, coarse fur is grizzled yellowish buff to reddish or rich cinnamon. Prairie dogs have a short tail, small rounded ears, and short legs with long, strong claws. These rodents weigh up to 1.7 kg (3.7 pounds), with a body 28–33 cm (11–13 inches) long. The slightly flattened tail is 3–12 cm (1–5 inches) long, and, depending on the species, its tip is black, white, or fringed with white around a gray centre. Black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus). Leonard Lee Rue III Prairie dogs excavate elaborate burrow systems with many entrances marked by low or volcano-shaped mounds. The common black-tailed (C. ludovicianus) and Mexican (C.

mexicanus) species live in large, dense colonies that early explorers described as “towns.” Colonies are divided by topographic and vegetational features into semidiscrete wards formed from smaller extended family groups, or coteries. Colonies usually cover about 100 hectares (247 acres), but the largest ever recorded was a black-tailed prairie dog colony in Texas that formerly stretched across 65,000 square km (25,000 square miles) and contained an estimated 400 million individuals. Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). Gary Vestal—Stone/Getty Images Colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) are easily spotted by the large … Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. During the day, foraging above ground is the principal activity. Succulent parts of herbs and grasses, leaves, and new shrub growth are eaten in the spring, and seeds are the primary component of the summer diet, with stems and roots being the mainstay in fall and early winter.

The black-tailed and Mexican prairie dogs do not hibernate and are periodically active during winter; they do not store food in their burrows. During winter when food is scarce, black-tails remain in their burrows for long periods without food or water, using physiological adaptations to control their metabolism. The other three species become torpid in October or November and emerge in March or April. Late winter or early spring is the breeding season for all species, and after about a month’s gestation, females drop a litter of up to 10 young. Communication takes the form of alarm calls (repetitious barks and chuckles), threats (snarls, growls, and tooth chatters), and distress calls (screaming); individuals enhance group cohesion by greeting one another upon contact, using vocalizations that are specific to each species. Similar Topics suslik Natural predators of prairie dogs include badgers, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, black-footed ferrets, golden eagles, and large hawks. Once abundant, prairie dog populations have been drastically reduced in range and number by poisoning programs of ranchers who have considered them as pests and by conversion of habitat to cropland.

The black-tailed prairie dog (C. ludovicianus) is the most widespread, living throughout the Great Plains from Canada to northern Mexico; Gunnison’s prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) occurs where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico , and Utah meet; the white-tailed prairie dog (C. leucurus) is found from eastern Wyoming through intermontane Rocky Mountain valleys to the eastern margin of the Great Basin ; the Utah prairie dog (C. parvidens) is restricted to the southern part of that state; and the Mexican prairie dog (C. mexicanus) occurs in northern Mexico . Black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus). Breck P. Kent The genus Cynomys belongs to the squirrel family (Sciuridae) of rodents (order Rodentia) and is most closely related to North American and Eurasian ground squirrels (genus Spermophilus). Fossils document their evolutionary history in western North America since the late Pliocene Epoch (3.6 to 2.6 million years ago).

prairie dog --� Kids Encyclopedia | Children's Homework Help | Kids Online Dictionary | Britannica The black-tailed prairie dog scans the horizon for danger. Leonard Lee Rue III A member of the squirrel family , prairie dogs are rodents that bark like dogs. They are known for the intricate burrows they create in the plains, high plateaus, and mountain valleys in North America . There are five species of prairie dogs, and they belong to the genus Cynomys. Prairie dogs have short, coarse fur that is yellowish buff to reddish or rich cinnamon. The tail is short, the ears small and rounded, and the legs short with long, strong claws. These rodents weigh up to 3.7 pounds (1.7 kilograms), with a body that is 1113 inches (2833 centimeters) long. The slightly flattened tail is 15 inches (312 centimeters) long. Depending on the species, the tip of the tail is black, white, or fringed with white around a gray center. Prairie dogs dig elaborate burrow systems that have multiple entrances marked by low mounds.

The common black-tailed and Mexican species live in large, dense colonies that early explorers described as towns. Colonies usually cover about 247 acres (100 hectares). The largest ever recorded, however, was a black-tailed prairie dog colony in Texas that stretched across 25,000 square miles (65,000 square kilometers) and contained an estimated 400 million individuals. Prairie dogs spend most of the day foraging for food. They eat herbs, grasses, leaves, seeds, and roots. The black-tailed and Mexican prairie dogs do not hibernate and are periodically active during winter; they do not store food in their burrows. During winter when food is scarce, black-tails remain in their burrows for long periods without food or water. The other three species become dormant in October or November and emerge in March or April. (See also hibernation .) Late winter or early spring is the breeding season for all species. The gestation period (the time from conception to birth) lasts for about a month. The female gives birth to a litter of up to 10 young.

Communication takes the form of alarm calls (repetitious barks and chuckles), threats (snarls, growls, and tooth chatters), and distress calls (screaming). Natural predators of prairie dogs include badgers, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, black-footed ferrets, golden eagles, and large hawks. Once abundant, prairie dog populations have been drastically reduced by ranchers, who consider the rodents pests and poison them. The loss of habitat to cropland has also lessened their numbers. The black-tailed prairie dog is the most widespread, living throughout the Great Plains from Canada to northern Mexico. (See also animal behavior, The Prairie Dog CoterieA Complex Social Group. ) Page 1 of 1 "prairie dog." Compton's by Britannica. Britannica Online for Kids. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., , from While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Close Enable free complete viewings of premium articles from Britannica Online for Kids when linked from your website or blog-post.

Now readers of your website, blog-post, or any other web content can enjoy full access to this article on prairie dog , or any other Britannica Online for Kids premium article for free, even if they do not have a membership. Just copy the HTML code fragment provided below to create the link and then paste it within your web content. For more details about this feature, visit our Webmaster and Blogger Tools page. . Copy and paste this code into your page Prairie Dogs on OSMP Home » Osmp » Prairie Dogs on OSMP Prairie Dogs on OSMP Little Dogs of the Prairie Ranchers and farmer compete with them for the land. Naturalists observe their curious habits. A family strolling along the Boulder Creek path might just enjoy watching them behave like a miniature family. Regardless of their perspective, most folks have an opinion about prairie dogs, and for many those sentiments are strongly held. Attitudes about prairie dogs tend to be formed around their role as competitor, as a curiosity or as a comrade. Competition with Development Over the past 100 years, much of the historic range of the black-tailed prairie dog has been converted to food production for humans, mostly for cattle pasture and grain fields.

Around the turn of the century the United States government sponsored prairie dog poisoning programs to reduce competition with livestock and farmers. This program, which continues today, peaked in Colorado in 1921 when approximately 80,000 acres were poisoned. Why all the fuss over a bunch of ground squirrels? The answer lies in the farmer and rancher's view of prairie dogs' impact to their livelihood. Prairie dogs compete with livestock for forage. They clip vegetation to maintain a view of their surroundings and eat the same grasses that would otherwise be available for cattle and horses. Over long periods of prairie dog activity, grass species that ranchers find most desirable can disappear. They are often replaced with less palatable grass species with lower nutritional value. In farmed ground, prairie dogs can decimate or destroy a crop of alfalfa, grains or hay. People also compete with prairie dogs for shelter. Expanding urban areas, especially the rapidly growing Front Range in Colorado, has seen the conversion of prairie dog towns into people towns—as housing and commercial development replaces grasslands. No government-sponsored campaign against the prairie dogs has been necessary to insure the dominance of human uses in our towns and cities.

Once prairie dogs are removed, the habitat is changed to such a degree prairie dogs usually don't have the opportunity or ability to reestablish themselves. Curiosity about Prairie Dogs: Nothing New! Long before the environmental problems of urban growth, naturalists marveled at the interesting habits of prairie dogs. In 1742 French explorers came upon them while traveling in the Dakotas and dubbed them le petit chien, the little dog. More than 50 years later Lewis and Clark collected the first specimen which was to be described by scientists (initially as the Louisiana marmot!). A live specimen was shipped back to President Jefferson from what is now North Dakota. Curious members of the explorers' party were surprised to find that they could repeatedly empty barrels of water into a prairie dog hole without filling it. Their burrow system has been studied well enough so that we know today one might find the following: (1) a "listening post room" just under the surface and set off from their main burrow, (2) a separate "room" which they use as a toilet and which may be emptied periodically, (3) a nesting/sleeping chamber lined with dried grass.

The nesting chambers are often elevated from the bottom of their tunnels so they remain dry when water flows into the burrow entrance. From time to time a prairie dog will stand on its hind legs, stretch the body vertically and throw its front feet high into the air while making a loud, sneezy yip. Jump-yipping soon spreads through the colony creating a contagious and wild dance. Naturalists believe that jump-yips probably help family groups maintain their territories, and may possibly be an "all-clear" signal once a predator has left the vicinity. The social life of black-tailed prairie dogs has been the topic of much study and interest by field naturalists and ecologists. For example, prairie dogs have a vocabulary of about 11 distinct calls and a host of postures and displays. When detecting danger, prairie dogs alert other members of the colony. They make a loud chirk while standing, on two or four legs, or lying prostrate in a burrow entrance.

This anti-predator call has been given a variety of names including the "squit-tuck", the warning bark, and the "tik-uh." It is something of an evolutionary puzzle why prairie dogs would risk their own skin by drawing the attention of a predator in order to save other members of their town. Some scientists believe that prairie dogs only mean to warn their close kin. A certain prairie dog behavior has been described as kin recognition or family member identification. But what they are doing is kissing. Black-tailed prairie dogs kiss when they meet within a family's territory. It typically goes something like this: a prairie dog, uncertain about the identity of a neighbor in her territory, cautiously creeps toward the other. She opens her mouth showing her teeth. If the other prairie dog is a family member, they will touch their mouths for an instant or for several seconds. Once they have kissed, prairie dogs may groom each other, nibble at one another's fur or wrestle around in mock battle. As with jump-yipping, when two prairie dogs kiss a chain reaction often follows with a colony full of kissing prairie dogs.

Birds of prey, like Golden Eagles, depend on the prairie dogs around Boulder for food. In areas where prairie dogs are exterminated, raptors are forced to move on. While the social life of prairie dogs is interesting and much studied, their role in grassland ecology is equally fascinating. Historically, bison grazed patches of mixed grass prairie short enough for prairie dogs to colonize. As prairie dogs fed upon and trimmed the vegetation, it shifted from a mature prairie to a more disturbed state with more weedy broadleaf plants. Under initial pressure of prairie dog grazing, the grass grew more rapidly and was richer in nutrients. Increased abundance of the weedy broadleaf plants attracted pronghorn antelope. Bison, mule deer and elk also visited prairie dog colonies to feed upon the nutrient rich grasses. Although elk and bison are long gone from most of the grasslands of the Great Plains, prairie dog colonies continue to support biodiversity by attracting a variety of species.

These include fairly common and widespread animals such as Meadowlarks, Horned Larks, Cottontail Rabbits, and Deer Mice as well as species with closer ties to the prairie dog colonies such as Burrowing Owls. Many other uncommon or rare species of grassland animals are attracted to Boulder because of our prairie dog colonies. These include Golden and Bald Eagles, Ferruginous Hawks, Badgers and Prairie Falcons. Black-footed ferrets, an endangered species now extirpated from most of their range—including the Boulder area—depend almost entirely upon prairie dogs for food and shelter. Can We Be Comrades? It is difficult to spend much time thinking about prairie dogs without noting the astonishing similarities to human beings. The prairie dog is a member of our select club—the animals that change the landscape to suit their needs and habits. People have been busy changing the landscape in dramatic ways for thousands of years, but we aren't alone or even the first. Beavers and their ancestors have been flooding the river valleys of North America to create their ponds since before the Ice Age. Prairie dogs have been trimming the vegetation of the high plains for at least as long.

Prairie dogs also live in family groups, known as coteries, and have an elaborate system of communication (well the yip-jump is not quite the Internet, but it meets the prairie dogs' needs). They kiss, wrestle, and defend the boundaries of their territories. When the landscape does not suit them, they change it to be safer and more comfortable in their homes. The prairie dog modified landscape attracts a distinct group of animals like burrowing owls, black-footed ferrets, hawks and eagles just as our cities and towns attract pigeons, raccoons, house sparrows and fox squirrels. However, unlike human populations which continue to grow and spread out over the landscape, the extent and numbers of prairie dogs are shrinking. Out of an estimated 100 million acres of active black-tailed prairie dog colonies, about two percent remains. Poisoning programs aimed at preserving agricultural productivity have been responsible for most of this decline. Urban development and bubonic plague are becoming significant concerns especially in the last few decades. The black-footed ferret has been driven to verge of extinction by the reduction of prairie dog colonies. Burrowing owls have been extirpated from the Boulder Valley.

Conservation biologists are concerned that other species dependant upon prairie dogs may follow in what has been described as an "ecological train wreck." In 1996, the Open Space Department developed a prairie dog habitat conservation plan in an attempt to head off such a train wreck in the Boulder Valley. The department worked with a committee of farmers, rural residents, environmentalists, animal rights advocates, land managers and interested citizens to develop a set of goals for prairie dog management on OSMP. The plan sought to reduce the conflicts between prairie dogs and adjacent land uses by establishing a system of prairie dog habitat conservation areas throughout the OSMP land system. In order to develop the preserve system, the OSMP land system has been broken down into several categories. The first category is "ecological suitability." Most grasslands on Open Space were considered to be ecologically suitable for prairie dogs. Coniferous forests, wetlands, tallgrass prairie, and riparian areas are ecologically unsuitable. Ecologically suitable lands were then considered for their "cultural suitability." Irrigated crops and pasture were considered to be culturally unsuitable because OSMP has as a part of its mission, the preservation of agricultural land uses in the Boulder Valley.

Areas being reclaimed from a previous land use were also considered culturally unsuitable—at least until a healthy native grassland is restored. As part of the cultural suitability analysis, OSMP also wanted to insure that there would be prairie dog colonies in places where people could enjoy observing them and where educational activities could be focused. The remaining suitable habitat was then examined more closely, using generally accepted principles of preserve design. For example, large, contiguous blocks of habitat usually make better preserves than small, isolated blocks. The preserve design was then modified for the specific requirements of prairie dogs such as soil type, slope, vulnerability to plague and barriers to dispersal. The requirements of those species which depend upon prairie dog colonies (burrowing owls, raptors and badgers) were also taken into consideration when developing the preserve design. The resulting preserve system includes approximately 4,600 acres in seven habitat conservation areas. Prairie dogs will exist essentially undisturbed in habitat conservation areas where management activities will focus upon encouraging prairie dogs to create and maintain habitats for a variety of plant and animal species.

The first phase of the grassland management plan also contains a set of policies describing in greater detail OSMP's control and monitoring programs, educational initiatives, and public process as it relates to prairie dog management. Prairie dog conservation in the Boulder Valley faces many questions. Will prairie dog population levels recover before the next plague outbreak? Will the natural and artificial barriers to dispersal be effective in keeping prairie dogs out of important agricultural areas and neighboring properties? Perhaps most importantly, will we be able to manage these curious competitors as comrades? What About Plague? Do prairie dogs carry plague? Fleas present on prairie dogs and other rodents like the fox squirrels in your backyard, rats and chipmunks can carry sylvatic plague, although its frequency is very rare. Are you likely to contract plague from prairie dogs? NO! In order to catch plague, you have to first pick up and be bitten by an infected flea. This is extremely unlikely. To reduce your risk even farther, observe these precautions: Never get close to or touch a wild rodent (prairie dog, squirrel, chipmunk, etc.). Don't approach or handle dead rodents. Never feed wildlife.

When animals come up to you, they could transmit an infected flea. Don't venture into prairie dog colonies or approach their burrows. Keep your dog away from prairie dog towns or any dead rodent. Your dog could pick up an infected flea and transmit it to you. Besides, it's illegal for dogs to chase or harass wildlife and could result in a heavy fine for you. Prevent domestic cats from prowling around prairie dog towns, since they too may bring infected fleas home to you. Wildlife Links Prairie Dogs - Devils Tower National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) Prairie Dogs A Prairie Dog nibbling on some vegetation A. Locklear/NPS Black Tailed Prairie Dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) once ranged the Great Plains from southern Saskatchewan to northern Mexico. Originally named "petits chiens," or "little dogs," by early French explorers, these highly social animals are not really dogs, but rodents. They are members of the Sciuridae or squirrel family, closely related to ground squirrels, chipmunks, woodchucks and marmots. Prairie dogs are small, short-tailed animals with eyes and small ears set far back on their heads.

Their light-brown fur blends well with the dirt of their mounds except when the animal has been blackened by burrowing into coal seams. Named for their bark-like warning call and black-tipped tail, prairie dogs average 14 to 17 inches in total length and weigh 1 to 3 pounds. With short, muscular legs and long-nailed toes on their front and hind feet, they are well equipped for a burrowing lifestyle. Prairie Dog Town NPS A prairie dog colony or "town" consists of a large number of closely spaced burrows, each comprising an elaborate network of interconnecting tunnels and multiple entrance holes that provide escape routes from pursuing predators. The primary prairie dog social unit is the "coterie," an acre or so of territory with 50 to 60 burrow entrances that is occupied by a single family group. A coterie typically consists of one adult male, several adult females, and their offspring. Prairie dogs warn of territorial trespassers from adjacent coteries or approaching danger by emitting a series of "barks," which sound more like high-pitched squeaks.

Specific threats are associated with distinctive vocalization patterns that serve to alert all residents of a town to the common threat. Two Prairie Dogs on the look out for predators NPS Prairie dogs feed primarily on plants, selecting forbs (flowering plants not shrubs or trees) and grasses high in moisture content and nutritive value to supply their needs for water and energy. Grasses quickly disappear from the town, which takes on a barren and overgrazed appearance. The open, closely-cropped terrain promotes easier social contacts and enables the collective "thousand eyes" of the residents to better spot approaching danger. Pronghorn and deer are attracted to feed in this modified community, their trampling further compacts the soil to maintain forb growth. Prairie dogs build up large stores of body fat to carry them through the fall and winter months. Unlike most other members of their family, black-tailed prairie dogs do not hibernate. They may remain underground for several days during periods of harsh weather, but a return to milder winter conditions will find their towns bustling with activity. Prairie Dogs S.Carter/NPS Mating occurs from March to early April. After a month-long gestation period, the female bears a litter of one to six young.

Born blind and hairless, the pups stay in the burrow for about six weeks while they develop fully. Emerging from the burrow, young prairie dogs are initially protected by their mothers. Weaning occurs shortly thereafter, when the pups have begun to forage for themselves. Most animals spend their brief five- to seven-year existence within the coteries of a single town. Plump prairie dogs are an important component of the diet of many animals. Badgers, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, golden eagles. and various hawks all take their toll;rattlesnakes and bullsnakes occasionally prey on the young. prairie dogs rely on their excellent hearing and vision to avoid these predators. From their vantage point atop the burrow mound, they can listen and scan the sky and prairie for danger. Upon spotting an enemy and announcing its presence to the rest of the town, the prairie dog dives into its burrow, emerging to give an "all clear" call when the danger has passed. Prairie Dogs - DesertUSA Prairie Dogs Genus Cynomys Prairie dogs are robust rodents, slightly grizzled and fat. They have broad, rounded heads, hairy tails and short legs.

The skull has 22 teeth. Prairie dogs weigh 1 1/2 to 3 lbs. The head and body are 11 to 13 inches long, with a tail length of 3 to 4 inches. They are yellowish in color, with darker ears and a pale buff to whitish belly. Prairie dogs have whitish or buffy patches on the sides of their nose, their upper lips and around their eyes in the form of a ring. Prairie Dog Geography  Range Throughout most of the western United States from Canada to Mexico -- Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and Wyoming -- including higher elevations of the Mojave, Great Basin and Chihuahuan deserts. View a short video on Prairie Dogs . Related Species Prairie dogs are the most social members of the squirrel family and are closely related to ground squirrels, chipmunks and marmots. There are five species of prairie dogs (genus Cynomys): Black-Tailed Prairie Dog (C. ludovicianus) occupies narrow bands of dry plains stretching from central Texans to Canada. White-Tailed Prairie Dog (C.

leucurus) inhabits Western US: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. Gunnison's Prairie Dog (C. gunnisoni) has a much shorter tail than other prairie dogs. It is uniquely colored and centers around the Four Corners area at elevations from 5000-11000 feet. Mexican Prairie Dog (C. mexicanus) is an endangered species with a limited distribution. It is only found within parts of Mexico. Utah Prairie Dog (C. parvidens) is the smallest of all prairie dogs and threatened. Comparisons Of the two main species of prairie dogs, the black-tailed (C. ludovicianus) has a black-tipped tail and is much more widespread, occurring sparsely over the Great Plains and throughout the Great Basin. Black-tailed are the prairie dogs normally sold in pet shops and may either be a baby caught in the wild or from a breeder. The other main species, the white-tailed prairie dog (C. leucurus), has a white-tipped tail and inhabits higher altitudes than the black-tailed. It hibernates in winter and is less colonial in habit.

Species: 5 in North America Vocalization Prairie dogs have a high-pitched, bark-like call. Recent studies suggest that prairie dogs possess the most sophisticated of all natural animal languages. They apparently issue different sounds identifying various predators, which include hawks, owls, eagles, ravens, coyotes, badgers, ferrets and snakes. Prairie dogs can run up to 35 miles per hour for short distances. The prairie dog has only one defense that works -- raising the alarm and disappearing quickly. Tail Prairie dog tails are generally short and bushy, but vary considerably in length and color between species. Ears Prairie dogs' ears are very short and often hidden in the fur. Eyes Prairie dogs' eyes, which are positioned on the sides of the head, appear to be adapted for detecting movement over a wide arc; this allows the detection of predators with greater success. Feet Prairie dog's feet are a usually a creamy color. Behavior All prairie dogs are diurnal. While most may be dormant for short periods of cold weather, the white-tailed species is a true hibernator in winter. Prairie dogs have an intricate social system composed of one male and several close-kin females and their offspring.

Populations vary from 5 to 35 per acre. The prairie dog digs its own burrows. There is a well-constructed and frequently reinforced dike against flooding from sudden rains. The entrance holes themselves are funnel-shaped, from 3 to 4 inches in diameter. These tunnels lead down a steeply slanting corridor 15 or 16 feet before leveling off for another 20 to 50 feet. There are side chambers for storage, for nesting and for escape should the tunnel be invaded by predators or flooding. They may extend 100 feet or more. When a predator approaches, the first alert prairie dog gives a sharp warning call, bobs up and down in excitement, calls again and then plunges below. The danger signal is a 2-syllable bark, issued at about 40 barks per minute. Other sentinels farther from the danger zone take up the watch, monitoring the course of the predator. Habitat Short and medium grass prairies and plateaus of the American West. Food & Hunting Although prairie dogs are almost exclusively vegetarian, nursing females have been observed both cannibalizing and communally nursing each other's pups.

The various native plants of the Great Plains make up the prairie dog's primary diet, comprising all kinds of grasses, roots, weeds, forbs and blossoms. They acquire all of their water from the food they eat. Sometimes insects are also eaten. Prairie dogs are stout, burrowing rodents among the many varieties of ground squirrels. Prairie dog burrows are called "towns." Most prairie dogs hibernate during the winter. Settlers called them "dogs" and "sod poodles" because of their high-pitched, bark-like call. As members of the genus Cynomys (Greek for "mouse dog"), all 5 species of Prairie Dogs belong to the squirrel family (Sciuridae). Prairie dogs issue different sounds identifying various predators, which include hawks, owls, eagles, ravens, coyotes, badgers, ferrets and snakes. At the turn of the century, as many as 5 billion prairie dogs occupied millions of acres of grass prairies across the West.

In 1900, a huge prairie dog settlement, 100 miles by 250 miles, was reported on the high plains of Texas containing an estimated 400 million prairie dogs! Breeding One litter is born to the prairie dog female each year. During a 4- or 5- hour estrus, a female prairie dog may mate with as many as 5 different males, allowing pups from the same litter to have different fathers. For the black-tailed, mating generally occurs in late January, with the young being born in March and April (a gestation period of 28 to 32 days). The white-tailed mates in March or April, with the young being born in May. These youngsters hibernate with their parents October through March in the north and in high mountain valleys. There are usually 3 to 5 youngsters in a litter, but sometimes as many as 8. The young are blind and hairless. Their eyes don't open for 33 to 37 days. At about 6 weeks, they begin to appear above ground and are ready to be weaned. They probably separate from the mother by early fall.

During May and the early part of June, the young begin to emerge from their burrows for the first time. At this time, yearlings (young from the previous year) and some adults may relocate, leaving the young pups to feel secure both socially and environmentally in the old burrow. When prairie dogs relocate, they take over abandoned holes or dig new holes at the edge of the town. A few may travel miles in search of new areas, but once away form the communal warning system, most are easy prey for predators. Conservation Common predators of the prairie dog include coyotes, bobcats, eagles, hawks, badgers and weasels. Because they eat as much as 7 percent of a ranch's forage, prairie dog eradication programs have been underway for decades in the American West. But a growing number of experts argue that prairie dogs may actually be beneficial, that they are natural fertilizers who also increase the protein content and digestibility of rangeland grasses. Today, after decades of eradication by federal, state, and local governments, devastation from disease, poisoning, recreational shooting and habitat destruction, prairie dogs are rapidly disappearing.

More have been exterminated than remain, inhabiting only about 2 percent of their former range. Colonies are being preserved, however, in Wind Cave National Park, Devils Tower National Monument and in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Reserve. The city of Santa Fe, New Mexico maintains a municipal park with a resident colony of Gunnison's prairie dogs. Cautions Prairie dogs are very susceptible to bubonic plague, acquiring it from fleas infected with plague bacteria. Most public health officials believe the chance of contracting plague from prairie dog fleas is very low, but flea-borne disease can wipe out a colony. Prairie dogs have lived up to 8 1/2 years in captivity. Other Desert Animals Share this page on Facebook: DesertUSA Newsletter -- We send articles on hiking, camping and places to explore, as well as animals, wildflower reports, plant information and much more. Sign up below or read more about the DesertUSA newsletter here . (It's Free.) FREE DESERTUSA SEARCH THIS SITE View Video about The Black Widow Spider. The female black widow spider is the most venomous spider in North America, but it seldom causes death to humans, because it only injects a very small amount of poison when it bites.

Click here to view video. The Bobcat Despite its pussycat appearance when seen in repose, the bobcat is quite fierce and is equipped to kill animals as large as deer. However, food habit studies have shown bobcats subsist on a diet of rabbits, ground squirrels, mice, pocket gophers and wood rats. Join us as we watch this sleepy bobcat show his teeth. The Mountain Lion The Mountain Lion, also known as the Cougar, Panther or Puma, is the most widely distributed cat in the Americas. It is unspotted -- tawny-colored above overlaid with buff below. It has a small head and small, rounded, black-tipped ears. Watch one in this video. View a short video on Prairie Dogs ___________________________________ TPWD: Prairie Dogs – Introducing Mammals to Young Naturalists Prairie Dogs Prairie dogs sit up frequently, on the lookout for any danger. Mornings are a busy time in a prairie dog town as the residents come out to eat the grasses and weeds growing near their burrow entrances. These chubby members of the ground squirrel family seem to lead relaxed, sociable, uncomplicated lives as they wander about eating, visiting with their neighbors, or indulging in playful antics.

However, they constantly are alert to danger, sitting up frequently to observe their surroundings. Their black-tipped tails are rarely still, swishing back and forth at a rate dependent upon their degree of excitement or fear. And although their bodies may be roly-poly, they are capable of making lightning-quick moves and split-second dives into the safety of their burrows. Before they leave their burrows, their heads pop up to scan the horizon in all directions. The tunnels in the burrow system may range in length from twelve feet to more than a hundred feet. The main entrance tunnel goes straight down for twelve to fourteen feet, with a listening-post chamber close enough to the surface to hear, but deep enough to protect the listener. One or more passages run horizontally from the main tunnel and lead to chambers for food and refuse. There also is a grass-lined chamber for rearing the young. Lateral passages form pockets that help trap air when other portions of the burrow might be flooded. The tunnel system connects with at least two holes above the ground to provide ventilation and escape routes. The mother prairie dog takes grass down into the burrow to build a nest for the young, which are born in litters of four or five during March or April.

When the temperature range above ground is 77 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit, temperatures inside the burrow are more moderate, ranging from 80 to 89 degrees. When winter temperatures range from 25 to 44 degrees Fahrenheit, burrow temperatures will be 42 to 48 degrees. During the hottest hours of a summer day, the prairie dogs retire to their cooler burrows to nap or carry out other underground activities. But when evening comes, they once again return to the surface to eat. In winter, prairie dogs venture above ground to feed while the sun's rays are the warmest. During really bad weather they sleep (but do not hibernate), living off body fat when there are no stored food supplies. Communication is an integral part of the prairie dog's daily life. The animals are quite vocal and have a variety of shrill whistles and barks for different situations. During their above-ground activities, one or more of the animals are on sentry duty, sitting atop their mounds ready to sound a warning to the entire community. At the first sign of danger, the sentry makes a sharp, warning bark.

The other prairie dogs race to their burrows, sit up, and join in with the warning cry to spread the word. If the situation warrants it, each family member, one by one, dives into the security of the burrow, leaving a deserted-looking town for the intruder. When danger is past, the sentry gives a songlike all-clear bark and the others again join in to spread the word. Another interesting vocalization is the territorial call. To make this call, the prairie dog thrusts its body upward full-length, points its nose in the air, and stretches out its forelegs. Since this is a quick, powerful movement, the first few times a young prairie dog attempts the territorial call, it often tumbles over backwards. To make the territorial call, the prairie dog quickly thrusts its body upward full length, nose in the air and forelegs outstretched. A prairie dog's home territory is determined by the coterie (KOTE-uh-ree) to which it belongs. Just as a city is divided into neighborhoods, the prairie dog town is divided into coteries.

Each coterie, which usually contains one male, several females, and six or more young (not necessarily related), has its own territory to defend and has the use of the burrow system within this territory. Although there is communication between coteries, members do not invade each other's territories. Every member of the coterie knows every other member. They keep in touch and reinforce recognition by frequently grooming each other and "kissing" (touching noses and teeth). They have a greeting kiss and recognition embrace. It is not unusual to see a pair sitting side by side with the arm of one over the shoulder of the other. When two prairie dogs meet, they touch their bared teeth together. If one is not a fellow coterie member, the intruder is sent on its way. Coterie members turn the touched bared teeth into a sort of kissing action and then may wrestle each other playfully. Their nuzzling, wrestling, and grooming antics are what make the prairie dogs such entertaining creatures to watch. Prairie dogs are sociable creatures, and their nuzzling and grooming antics make them entertaining to watch.

Their "kissing" behavior (touching of noses with bared teeth) is the way the identify members of their own coterie. Young prairie dogs are born in March and April. They first appear above ground when they are about six weeks old. They are weaned shortly after, and by the time they are three months old, the family ties are broken. They become sexually mature in the second year. At one time prairie dog towns were enormous – one in Texas is reported to have covered twenty-five thousand square miles and housed some 400 million prairie dogs. Sharing their burrow system (not necessarily as invited or welcomed guests) were a number of other animals. However, the three most common intruders were the black-footed ferret, the burrowing owl, and the rattlesnake. The black-footed ferret's long, weasellike body was perfect for entering and exploring the complex maze of burrows in search of its prey – prairie dogs. Its range, of course, was the same as that of the prairie dog.

Unfortunately, when ranchers declared war on the prairie dog because its burrow holes were a menace to livestock and it competed with cattle for vegetation, the ranchers also in-advertently attacked the ferret. They not only destroyed its food source, but the poison and gas that were used to kill the prairie dogs also killed the ferrets. At this time, the black-footed ferret is considered the rarest mammal in North America and appears on both state and federal endangered species lists. It is doubtful if a single one can be found in Texas. The burrowing owl was not hurt as badly by the extermination of so many prairie dogs as the ferret. The owls lost a few eggs and chicks to the resident prairie dogs, and the owls ate a few young prairie dogs. However, young prairie dogs were not the owl's main food, and it could dig its own burrow with its sharp talons and long legs. It just found the ready-made burrows less work than digging its own. Rattlesnakes were even less dependent on the prairie dogs for survival.

The burrows were a cool place for the snakes to go to get out of the hot sun, and they also provided den sites, where rattlesnakes could gather and hibernate until spring. Of course, the snakes probably ate a share of the young prairie dogs and the burrowing owl chicks and eggs. Heat-sensitive facial pits made it possible for the rattlesnake to find its prey in even the darkest tunnel system. However, when the prairie dogs discovered a snake's presence, they escaped through the emergency exit, circled back to the hole where the snake entered, and, with the help of their prairie dog neighbors, filled in the hole, burying the snake alive. Other predators that include prairie dogs on their menu are eagles, hawks, coyotes, bobcats, and badgers. Vast prairie dog towns with millions of inhabitants are a thing of the past, but a few preserved colonies, such as the one at Mackenzie State Park, ensure that we will be able to watch the prairie dog and enjoy its antics into the future. Additional Information: Ilo Hiller 1990 – Prairie Dogs: Introducing Mammals to Young Naturalists.

The Louise Lindsey Merrick Texas Environment Series, No. 10, pp. 47-52. Texas A&M University Press, College Station. Back to Top Prairie Dogs | Science | Video | PBS LearningMedia Background Essay Don't be fooled. The unassuming prairie dog, with its panicked warning call and inclination to dive underground at the slightest hint of danger, is no pushover. Consider the facts: the prairie dog has been beleaguered, pushed out, or pursued for more than a century by ranchers and housing developers; its numbers have dropped by 98 percent in little more than a century; and it has been subjected to one of the most thorough habitat destruction movements in history, resulting in the loss of a great many plant and animal species. Yet the prairie dog continues to burrow, breed, and make its living in small pockets of the North American Great Plains. Now, as biologists recognize the prairie dog's importance to the native prairie ecosystem, some protections have been put in place to challenge their continued extermination. The prairie dog's decline has been largely a result of European settlers' widespread push of progress across the Great Plains.

The burrowing rodents, members of the squirrel family, simply stood in the way of a booming agricultural industry and the cities and towns that accompanied it. In 1900, an estimated five billion prairie dogs occupied colonies on the surface of and beneath the grasslands of North America. A century later, only isolated pockets remain, yet they continue to be shot and poisoned, particularly by ranchers who are certain that prairie dogs compete with cattle for food and that their burrows pose a risk to the legs of livestock. Regardless of the justification for prairie dog extermination, we now know that the rodents provide benefits critical to the health of the prairie ecosystem. First, an active prairie dog colony provides an abundant and stable food source for predators such as coyotes, foxes, hawks, eagles, ferrets, and badgers. While these animals prey heavily on prairie dogs, they also help to control populations of other rodents, such as mice and rats. In addition, prairie dogs create burrows that protect a wide variety of creatures, including burrowing owls, snakes, salamanders, ferrets, badgers, and many types of insects.

The burrows also help to aerate the prairie soil and distribute nutrients, making the ecosystem more productive. Biologists estimate that a single healthy prairie dog colony may benefit as many as 170 different vertebrate species. Prairie dog colonies are clearly a vital part of their native ecosystem—a fact that should be weighed carefully against any desire to exterminate this important species. Describe the habitat of prairie dogs. How does this habitat provide food, water, oxygen, and protection? How do prairie dogs impact the land where they live? What types of organisms depend on prairie dogs? What are some important features of a prairie dog hole system? Imagine you are a farmer in an area inhabited by prairie dogs. Describe the relationship between prairie dogs and farmers. What do you think your attitude towards prairie dogs might be?

Question: The Prairie Dog is a member of which family of rodents?
Answer: SQUIRREL