Prairie Dog Bookmark

Description

Prairie dogs are social animals always living in colonies or "towns" which consist of dozens to thousands of family groups.  They range on short grass prairies through the territory west of the Missouri River.  Ecologists consider the prairie dog to be a "keystone" species; many species are linked to the prairie dog colonies by the habitat they create.  These include black-footed ferrets, mountain plovers, ferruginous hawks, western burrowing owls, and the swift fox.

Prairie dogs have developed a rich and varied menu of calls used for communication with family members and neighbors, individual colonies have distinct dialects.