The black-tailed prairie dog is a species of rodent that lives in the prairies, grasslands, semi-deserts and steppes of the USA as well as small areas of Canada and Mexico. The black-tailed prairie dog has sandy coloured fur with paler coloration on the underside. They have long claws, small ears, black eyes and a black tipped tail. Males are slightly larger than females, but otherwise they are the same in appearance. Black-tailed prairie dogs weigh between 0.68- and 1.36kg, have a head-body length of 36 to 43cm and a tail length of 7.6 to 10.2cm.
Latin Name
Cynomys ludovicianus
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Animal Facts
Prairie dogs are a member of the squirrel family.
Black-tailed prairie dogs are very sensitive to low sound frequencies; this adaptation allows them to hear when predators move through their burrows.
Although not an endangered species, the range of the black-tailed prairie dog is now just 5% of what it used to be due to humans changing land use and encroaching upon the prairie dog's habitat.
Prairie dogs call to their pack mates to communicate details about nearby predators, such as the predator's size, distance away and whether they are above or underground.
Black-tailed prairie dogs are a keystone species as they reconstruct environments with the amount of digging they do; this enhances the diversity of wildlife and vegetation and is a very important ecosystem role.
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