comes from a Greek word that translates to “dog mouse.”. They’re threatened by the same plague that caused the Black Death in EuropeIn the late 1800s, the bubonic plague entered North America via rats aboard European ships. 6. As a result, plagues contribute significantly to the loss of prairie dog population. They are a type of ground squirrel, found in North America. Gunnison’s – This species lives in the “Four Corners” are of the southwest United States. The largest recorded prairie dog town contained about 400 million individual prairie dogs. Despite having the word “dog” in their name, they are not closely related to dogs and other canines. When it comes to vocal complexity, they even surpass some of the most intelligent animals such as. Photo by Bruce Schuette. Most notably, one prairie dog town in Texas reportedly spanned around 25,000 square miles (64,000 km²) with 400,000,000 individual black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). When you hear the word prairie dog, you probably wouldn’t think of a rodent. Their fur is short but thick, and is colored yellowish or light brown. This leads to more nutritious vegetation growing in prairies, which many animals benefit from. When prairie dogs make their burrows and establish new territories, they sometimes destroy crops and agricultural land along the way. In the grasslands across the central and western United States, their intricate underground coloniescalled prairie dog townscreate shelter for jackrabbits, toads, and rattlesnakes. Help support these grassland critters. This allows the prairie dogs to get proper amounts of oxygen even deep below the ground. Black-footed ferrets depend on prairie dogs—and we’re working to protect both speciesPrairie dogs are the primary source of food and habitat for endangered black-footed ferrets. 2. FUN FACTS. 50 Interesting Prairie Dog Facts That You Never Knew About. Read also: 50 Beautiful Peacock Facts You Should Not Miss. These vocal rodents even have specific barks for warning others about a man wielding a gun. Prairie dogs live in burrows underground, which provides them with much-needed protection from various predators and environmental conditions. 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. The prairie dog’s coarse fur has a gray or reddish tinge, the underparts, throat, and lower face shading off from buff to white. These towns occupy a large area of land, housing large numbers of prairie dog families. Some rooms serve as stations for nursing the young, some act as their sleeping chambers at night, while others provide shelter during the winter. The name prairie dog was derived from the early settlers believing their call sounded like that of a dog. One of the cutest facts about prairie dogs is that these highly social animals “kiss” and nuzzle each other when they enter new areas. The disease is still rampant in large tracts of the region, and tends to wipe out entire prairie dog colonies when it strikes. The five species of prairie dog all belong to the squirrel or Scuiridae family. Prairie dogs invest a lot of energy in building their homes. on the transport, hunting, and trade of prairie dogs. These towns occupy a large area of land, housing large numbers of prairie dog families. 1250 24th Street, N.W. Female prairie dogs in estrus lick their own genitals to prevent infections and sexually-transmitted diseases. Prairie Dog Fun Facts and Information September 1, 2020 Light Future Art LLC Leave a comment Today at Light Future Art, we’re going to take a closer look at an animal which we’ve mentioned some facts about in passing before but never dedicated an entire post to: the prairie dog. An old nickname for prairie dogs is “sod poodle,” which inspired the named of the Texas baseball team Amarillo Sod Poodles. Some researchers suggest that this could indicate a form of communal nursing in their kind. Among the five prairie dog species, only the Gunnison’s prairie dog has 40 chromosomes, more than the 35 chromosomes of the other species. As the grass disappeared, so did the prairie chicken. Because they’re herbivores and will not eat the bodies of these ground squirrels, they leave them outside for the birds of prey. Their gestation period lasts for around a month. The bare patches of ground created by their grazing and burrowing attract certain insects that feed a variety of birds. Prairie dogs mainly live in areas with elevations of 2,000 to 10,000 ft (610 – 3048 m) above sea level. , southwestern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, and northwestern New Mexico. Prairie dogs kill the ground squirrels to eliminate their competition. Named for their unique calls that sound like a dog’s barking, these animals display a unique set of social behavior that makes them stand out. Body of prairie dog is covered with brownish-grey fur. Without them, the ecosystem will fall out of balance and lead to the deaths of numerous plants and animals that benefit from prairie dogs. Adopt a prairie dog. Named for their unique calls that sound like a dog’s barking, these animals display a unique set of social behavior that makes them stand out. WWF® and ©1986 Panda Symbol are owned by WWF. Prairie dogs can live up to 10 years in captivity. Depending on the species, the families could either be coteries or clans. They stay with this group for life, while the males born in the group wander off into other groups to avoid mating with their kin. Because of their profound influence on their local landscapes and wildlife, the disappearance of prairie dogs would spell bad news for the local ecosystem. To do so, they clear the plants around their burrows so they can better watch out for their long list of predators. Like bats, prairie dogs serve as a keystone species. and specify size & color. Similar to how many different human families make up a human town, the typical prairie dog town has around 15–26 prairie dog families. In 2003, because of threats of spreading plagues and other zoonotic diseases, the CDC imposed a ban on the transport, hunting, and trade of prairie dogs. Prairie dogs have a short tail, small rounded ears, and short legs with long, strong claws. 4. The areas where they live can get as warm as 38 °C (100 °F) in the summer and as cold as −37 °C (−35 °F) in the winter. Most notably, one prairie dog town in Texas reportedly spanned around 25,000 square miles (64,000 km², ) with 400,000,000 individual black-tailed prairie dogs (. View our inclusive approach to conservation. Biology of prairie dogs Prairie dogs have a stout body, with a narrow, pointed head, very short ears, short legs and tail, and strong digging claws on their fingers. As primarily herbivorous animals the prairie dog diet mostly consists of grass, roots, cacti, and thistles in the wild. 3. Others of their biological relatives are groundhogs, chipmunks, woodchucks and … Male prairie dogs are typically larger and heavier than females. There are 5 species of them and they vary in colors and locations. Instead, they exhibit torpor, which is an instinctual behavior similar to hibernation that only occurs for short periods of time. Their historical range has shrunk by more than 95%There used to be hundreds of millions of prairie dogs in North America. Contrary to their caring nature, the leading cause of death of around 51% of prairie dog babies is actually infanticide. Prairie dogs tend to be celebrated for their larger ecological virtues. Read more prairie dog facts below. Prairie dog territories can sometimes overlap with the territories of other species of ground squirrels. The endangered black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) rely almost solely on prairie dogs as their source of food. Prairie dogs aren’t the only ones that benefit from their complex burrows – some other animals also take refuge in these spaces. Prairie dogs are also an important food source for a long list of predators such as weasels, bobcats, eagles, hawks, and black-footed ferrets. From the 1800s to the 1900s, populations of prairie dogs declined drastically due to human pest control. Prairie dogs are known as a “keystone species.” Over 160 vertebrates alone are associated with large prairie dog colonies and over 80 on “urban” colonies. One of the most important prairie dog facts is that the critters are considered a “keystone” species. For black-tailed prairie dogs, the breeding season occurs after they hibernate — between March and April. The biggest ever Black-tailed prairie dogs’ town recorded was in Texas, covering 65,000 sq. Each of the five species have different traits and adaptations. Interestingly, they may also be leash-trained. When hungry, prairie dogs emerge from their tunnels to forage for food. A prairie dog town discovered in Texas in 1900 was the size of the state of Maryland. Once a year, prairie dogs can give birth to a litter with an average of two to three pups. At Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana, WWF is collaborating with tribal partners to monitor the health of prairie dog colonies where black-footed ferrets live—and identify new areas where ferrets could be released. Thank you for listening. Through their unique calls, prairie dogs can make different sentences describing the size, color, speed, and type of predator — even with a single chirp! The prairie dog is a diurnal mammal that searches for grasses, roots, and seeds in the daylight. These family groups live in separate wards within the town. One study found that they can communicate “Here comes the short human in the yellow” (vs the tall human in blue) to each other. But recent research has found that those calls can convey incredibly descriptive details. During other times, prairie dogs can be quite sociable companions that can treat humans as parts of their family. They’re tough Prairie dogs may look a bit like actual Chicken McNuggets, but in reality they’re fast, skilled fighters armed with sharp claws and powerful teeth. Their genus name “Cynonyms” comes from the Greek word for “mouse dog”. They live in very arid environments with little rainfall, and therefore mostly get hydration from the. There are five species of prairie dogs: black-tailed, Mexican, Gunnison’s, white-tailed, and Utah prairie dogs. This instinct conserves their energy until the environmental conditions permit them to go out and forage again. The lifespan of a prairie dog is 3-5 years in the wild and up to 8 years in captivity. On some occasions, they may also eat insects, worms, and even the dung of American bison. The five species are: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah, and Mexican prairie dogs. After humans, prairie dogs have one of the most complex forms of vocal communication in the animal kingdom. Burrowing. It has small ears on the sides of its head, a long body, small front paws with long claws, and a short, black-tipped tail. Prairie dogs kill the ground. They potentially carry fleas that serve as vectors to the bubonic and sylvatic plagues, which can be transmitted to pets and humans. On some occasions, they may also eat insects, worms, and even the dung of American bison. It is often seen as being curious and intelligent. and in length from 13-17 inches. The five prairie dog species — … However, other experts contend that they merely raise the pups after mistaking them for their own young. Speak up for species and places through WWF's Action Center. The black-tailed prairie dog is a member of the squirrel family and is closely related to the ground squirrel. This species also has eyes that are set more to the sides of their heads, giving them good peripheral vision. Further leading to their decline are factors such as the spread of plagues and unregulated prairie dog hunting and population control. While they don’t have lips to lock, they usually touch their noses and, Prairie dogs are social animals that have complex relationships with others of their kind. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Sometimes, females will also mate with other males to increase their reproductive success. Usually, males that take control over a family group will kill the offspring of the former dominant male. Interesting Prairie dog Facts: Prairie dogs are the same size like rabbits. Prairie dogs are considered a “keystone” species because their colonies create islands of habitat that benefit approximately 150 other species. 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