Black-tailed Black-tailed Prairie DogsPrairie Dogs

Black-tailed Black-tailed Prairie DogsPrairie Dogs

By By Reina WomackReina Womack

Fun Facts to Know

• Stands about 14 to 17 inches tall• Weighs about 3 pounds• Brown in color with black tip on tails• Talk to each other with a barking sound• Social animal

Prairie Dog Home

• Called colonies – one large family unit• Each family lives in a coteries• Families are made up of one male, few females and babies

Inside the Home

• This is a burrow or coterie.• Inside the burrow is tunnels. This is how the

prairie dogs move from one part of the burrow to another.

• One room could be used for the mother and babies to stay in.

• Another could be used resting.• Another could be used to escape from weather or other animals.

Domes

• Prairie dogs build domes or rims on their

burrows to keep out rain.

• Help winds blow through the burrows for air.• Helps them look out for predators (animals or birds

that can hurt them).

Keeping Watch• Prairie Dogs keep watch on what is

happening all around them. They keep watch for other animals, birds or humans that will hurt them.

Other Animals • Prairie Dogs share their land with

other animals such as the longhorn cattle, bison and burrowing owls.

• These animals help the prairie dogs keep the grass and forbs (weeds) cut short to help keep out predators.

• Predators are animals or birds that want to eat the prairie dogs.

Longhorn Cattle

Bison

Burrowing Owls

Having breakfast• Prairie dogs eat grasses and forbs

(weeds) during summer.

Prickly Pears• During winter months, they like to eat

prickly pear, thistle and plant roots.

• They get water from these plants also.

Black-tailed Prairie Dogs

• Prairie Dogs are important to our land.• They help the land by the way they clip the

grasses and forbs.• Sharing their colonies with other species.• They help the rangelands continue to grow

and produce.

Dogs enjoying the day!