* Threatened or Endangered
Prairie Dog *
: Cynomys ludovicianus
: Mammal
: 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.
: Grasses, roots, weeds, blossoms and sometimes insects.
: Weight 1 ½ to 3 pounds
: Once very common they have disappeared in many areas. Prairie Dogs only inhabit about 2% of the range that they once did.
• Once very common, they have disappeared in many areas. Prairie Dogs only inhabit about 2% of the range that they once did.
• Also called “barking squirrels,” their genus name cynomys means “mouse dog.”
• One of the largest prairie dog towns was in Texas where a town was reportedly 100 miles wide and 250 miles long, with an estimated 400 million animals.
• Lewis and Clark were fascinated with these small rodents and spent many hours attempting to dig one out of its burrow.
• Prairie dogs have a variety of vocalizations which warn other members of the town about impending danger.
Respect native wildlife by remembering that…it’s wild! When enjoying native land where wildlife lives, always be aware, be safe, and leave no trace. Never approach, taunt, or feed wildlife. Interacting with them can be dangerous to you and to them. Instead, enjoy their beauty and their ecosystem without disturbing them. To learn more, follow these links:
gf.nd.gov/wildlife/orphaned
www.nationalparks.org/connect/blog/tips-safely-visiting-national-parks
Prairie dog colonies are essential to the survival of the endangered black footed ferret. The Dakota Zoo Conservation Fund supports Prairie Wildlife Research and sends staff down to the South Dakota Badlands each year to help spotlight, monitor, and provide appropriate vaccines to the recovering black footed ferret population. To learn more visit https://www.dakotazoo.org/conservation/ and consider a donation to our spotlighting efforts.