Origin– Prairie dogs are a type of ground squirrel found in the United States, Canada and Mexico
Family– Sciuridae
Lifespan– 3-4 years in the wild.
Diet– Seventy to ninety-five percent of a black-tailed prairie dog’s diet is composed of the grasses of the short grass prairie. They also eat seeds, insects, roots and forbs.
Description-They are 12 to 15 inches in length, weight 2-4 pounds. Its tail measures 3- 4 inches long with a black tip. They have short muscular front legs and long claws for digging. They live in large groups called towns. These towns are made up of small family units called coteries consisting of a male, a female and their offspring under two years.
Conservation-Sadly as Prairie dogs have been exterminated by humans they have declined in numbers from 500 billion to only 100 million today in the American Midwest. The Black Tailed Prairie Dog is currently listed as least concern
