Prairie Dog

A prairie dog is a burrowing rodent native to the grasslands of North America. They are a type of ground squirrel, known for their elaborate underground tunnel systems and highly social behavior.

Prairie dogs have a compact, stout body with short legs and a short tail. Their fur is typically a yellowish-tan to reddish-brown color that helps them blend in with their prairie habitat. They have strong claws on their front paws, which are used for digging their extensive burrow systems.

Prairie dogs live in the open grasslands and prairies of North America. They are herbivores, and their diet consists of grasses, seeds, and roots. They are considered a keystone species in their ecosystem, meaning they have a disproportionately large effect on their environment. Their burrowing aerates the soil, and they are a critical food source for many predators, including eagles, coyotes, and black-footed ferrets.

Prairie dogs are highly social animals that live in large, complex colonies called "towns." These towns consist of interconnected burrows and can cover hundreds of acres. Within a town, prairie dogs live in family groups called cotteries, where they greet each other with a "kiss" (touching mouths) and groom one another. They use a series of high-pitched barks to alert each other to danger.