Prairie dogs, or barking squirrels, are ground-dwelling herbivores in the genus Cynomys, in the squirrel family Sciuridae, order Rodentia. Prairie dogs are closely related to the ground squirrels, gophers, and marmots. Prairie dogs are widespread and familiar animals of the open, arid prairies, grasslands, and some agricultural landscapes of the western regions of North America.
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. Their fur is short but thick, and is colored yellowish or light brown. Although they can run quickly, prairie dogs do not wander far from the protection of their burrows. Prairie dogs dig their burrows and grass-lined dens in well-drained soils. The surface …
The most common and widespread of the five species of prairie dog is the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus), occuring in dry, upland prairies from southern Saskatchewan to northern Mexico. The pelage of the black-tailed prairie dog is yellowish brown, except for the dark last third of their tail. The closely related Mexican prairie dog (C. mexicanus) occurs in a small area of northern…
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