Prairie dogs (genus Cynomys) are herbivorous burrowing ground squirrels native to the grasslands of North America. There are five recognized species of prairie dog: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah, and Mexican prairie dogs. [3] .

In the grasslands across the central and western United States, their intricate underground colonies—called prairie dog towns—create shelter for jackrabbits, toads, and rattlesnakes. These small, chubby-looking mammals are also fascinating in their own right.

Nov 10, 2020 · Prairie dogs build their homes underground to protect against predation and flash flooding. These colonies can be massive, with the largest ever recorded prairie dog town encompassing 25,000 square miles – an area greater than the state of West Virginia. However big a prairie dog town may be, it is likely to be equally as complex.

Jan 11, 2025 · 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.

Everything you should know about the Prairie Dog. The Prairie Dog is a rodent, in the squirrel family, which lives primarily underground.

Aug 12, 2022 · They are members of the Sciuridae or squirrel family, closely related to ground squirrels, chipmunks, woodchucks and marmots. There are five species of prairie dogs in North America, but only the black-tailed prairie dog inhabits Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Oct 7, 2020 · Prairie dogs, native to the Great Plains, are ground squirrels that live in large communities. The prairie dog is one of the most visible and appreciated animals seen at Devils Tower National Monument. It is also one of the most controversial.

These charismatic, rabbit-size rodents live on North America's prairies and open grasslands in only a fraction of their former numbers. Prairie dogs live in underground burrows, extensive warrens...

The white-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys leucurus) displays the largest variance in size between the sexes. I’ll mention the rough sizes for individual species in a table below, but as an average, prairie dogs measure between 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 inches) in length, from head to tail.

The Gunnison's prairie dog, C. gunnisoni, is the only prairie dog species that has 40 chromosomes. The other four species — black-tailed, white-tailed, Utah, and Mexican prairie dogs — have 50 chromosomes. [3] Their coats are yellow-toned buff merged with black-colored hairs.