Cute Little Vermin
Burrows on the Plains
Prairie dogs once inhabited the Great Plains from southern Saskatchewan to northern Mexico. The original French and Spanish explorers called them "little dogs" because their calls sound like barking dogs, but they are rodents. They are members of the squirrel family, closely related to ground squirrels, chipmunks, woodchucks and marmots.There are five different species of prairie dogs, each very similar to another.
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.
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. 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 mainly eat flowering plants and grasses.
Prairie dogs build up large stores of body fat to carry them through the fall and winter months. The Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs of Wyoming are the only species which do not hibernate.
danger has passed.
National Zoo Prairie Dogs...
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DON'T FEED THE PRAIRIE DOGS
Prairie Dogs' digestive systems are not designed to handle human food. Prairie dogs are wild animals will bite if they feel threatened a painful. They can also carry fleas that can transmit bubonic plague to humans.
A Close View of a Fat Black-Tailed Pr...
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Home Sweet Home
Abandoned Prairie Dog holes are popular turn-key nests for Burrowing Owls. The owls seek out empty mounds in the spring and move right in! Unfortunately, as the vast colonies of prairie dogs decline, so does the Burrowing Owl population. Learn More About Burrowing Owls
Read ElizabethJeanAllen's Beautiful Lens
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Burrowing Owl
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The Burrowing Owls are aptly named. They live underground in burrows. Rather than dig their own, they let the ground squirrels and prairie dogs do the work, and then evict them.
Prairie Dogs Kissing by Laurie Ryan
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Build A Prairie Dog Library
![Conservation of prairie dog ecosystem engineering may support arthropod beta and gamma diversity [An article from: Journal of Arid Environments]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51AS332DPEL._SL75_.jpg)
Prairie Dog Snacking
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The Internet - Your Virtual Prairie Dog Town
- Public Employees For Environmental Responsibility
- Do Prairie Dogs cause groundwater pollution?
- Devil's Tower National Monument
- The Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs of Devil's Tower.
- Prairie Dog Park
- Prairie Dog State Park in Kansas.
Prairie Dogs on Flickr
Prairie dog!
Prairie Dog
Prairie Dog
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Gunnison's prairie d...
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Prairie Dog
Prairie Dog
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Prairie Dog
Bad Neighbors
Prairie Dog colonies are popular neighborhoods for Rattlesnakes to live in. They provide ready-made dens and an ample food source. 
WikiDogs!!
Prairie dogs (Cynomys) are burrowing rodents (not actually dogs) native to the grasslands of North America. There are five different species of prairie dogs: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison, Utah, and Mexican prairie dogs. They are a type of ground squirrel. On average, these stout-bodied rodents will grow to be between long, including the short tail and weigh between . They are found in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In Mexico, prairie dogs are primarily found in the northern states which are the southern end of the great plains: northeastern Sonora, north and northeastern Chihuahua, northern Coahuila, northern Nuevo León, and northern Tamaulipas; in the U.S., they range primarily west of the Mississippi River, though they have also been introduced in a few eastern locales. They will eat all sorts of vegetables and fruits.
The Best Gifts For Prairie Dog Lovers.
Prairie Dog Dark T-Shirt
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Prairie Dog Tote Bag
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Prairie Dog Hooded Sweatshirt
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Prairie Dog Infant Bodysuit
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Wonderful Books For Kids!
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Dark and Noble Ravens
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....while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. "'Tis some visitor," I muttered,...
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Holistic Health for Pets
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Help your furry or feathered or scaled companions in times of stress or ill health with homeopathic remedies and flower essences. Many people have successfully used flower essences to help deal with fearful pets, dogs who have problems being home alo...
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The Tawny Frogmouth
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A weird and wonderful bird from Down Under, the Tawny Frogmouth is so fun to watch. With it's owl-like body and frog-like mouth, this bird is like no other. A native to Australia, the rest of us need to be content with viewing this amazing creature i...
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Celebrating The Cat In Art
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Often dismissed and maligned by art snobs these days, the cat has a long and illustrious history as a model for artists. From the ancient Egyptians to Gustav Klimt and right up to amazing modern artists, felines have inspired the creative side of man...
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Bull Snakes - Gentle Helpers
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Many people may be terrified of snakes, but there's really no need to fear these guys. Bull Snakes (also called Gopher snakes) are docile and do our habitats a great service by keeping down vermin populations. They eat mice, rats, rabbits, and prairi...
What Do You Think Of Prairie Dogs?
A Black-Tailed Prairie Do...
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Reply
- Darcy Busch Darcy Busch Oct 23, 2009 @ 6:21 pm
- I need your help. I teach first graders and am doing a unit on Habitats. Since I live in Kansas, I decided to do a lesson about Prairie dogs. I am planning on having the kids compare their homes to that of a prairie dog. I have been looking for a virtual look inside a prairie dog home, but can't find anything. I sure could use some advice from the experts....:)
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Reply
- naturegirl7 naturegirl7 Oct 25, 2008 @ 5:32 pm
- I love the little furry creatures. Welcome to the Naturally Native Squids group. Don't forget to add your lens links to the appropriate plexos and vote for them.
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Reply
- ChristiannaGarrett-Martin ChristiannaGarrett-Martin Oct 20, 2008 @ 5:59 pm
- Gorgeous!! I love their little squeaks they make :) They look a little like Meercats.
A lovely Lens! and a Favourite!
Christianna
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- Evelyn_Saenz Evelyn_Saenz Oct 20, 2008 @ 5:29 am
- What a great lens!
I have never visited the Great Plains but have always wanted to especially to see Prairie Dogs and their famous towns.
Whitefoot the Wood Mouse is inviting all rodent lovers to join the Rodents R Us Group.
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- saraht43 saraht43 Oct 19, 2008 @ 6:32 pm
- When I started School (mid 60's) the house we lived in had a HUGE back yard and we had prairie dogs living there. We just loved them. Great lens.
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by The_Homeopath
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