A squirrel that barks
It is a ground squirrel, not a dog. It got its name from its sharp, barking alarm call.
The Great Plains
Black-tailed prairie dog
Cynomys ludovicianus
A plump, sandy ground squirrel with a short black-tipped tail, living in huge underground towns.
- Size
- About 35 to 40cm long
- Look for it
- March to October
- Where
- Short-grass prairie from Canada to Mexico
Scurries after you, and sits up to look. Move your pointer and see.
When to look
Prairie dog
Good to know
Six things about the prairie dog
A real language
Its calls tell the others what kind of hunter is coming, and even how big it is and how fast it is moving.
Huge towns
One prairie dog town in Texas was said to hold 400 million animals.
A kiss hello
Family members greet each other by touching teeth, which looks like a kiss.
The jump-yip
A prairie dog throws itself up on its back legs and yips, and the move spreads through the town like a wave.
A home for others
Burrowing owls, snakes and rare black-footed ferrets all live in prairie dog burrows.
The real thing
Photos of the prairie dog
Photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under the free licences shown. They have been resized, and cropped where they appear in link previews.
How to spot one
Look for mounds of bare earth dotted over short grass, each with a sentry standing on top. You will hear the barking before you get close.
How to help
Prairie dogs have lost most of their range to farming and poisoning. Protecting their towns protects all the animals that depend on them.
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