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Gunnison's prairie dog - CYNOMYS GUNNISONI
Possibly Endangered
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Prairie Dog": "The Prairie Dog" is not closely related to the carnivorous dog, but rather is quite closely related to other ground squirrels. It does, however, live in the "prairie."
Location: Western United States.
Habitat: Prairie and in mountainous regions at an altitude of 5000 to 11,500 feet.
Description: The coat is a yellowish buff intermixed with black hairs. There are darker areas on the head, and the belly is paler. The distal half of the tail has a grayish color and its hairs are tipped with grayish white. The body is stout, the legs short, and the toes clawed. The female has two pairs of nipples. The prairie dog can grow to 15 inches tall. Their tail is only about three inches long. It can weigh up to two and a half pounds.
Behavior: This creature is active by day and lives in colonies. The name "prairie dog" comes from its distinctive call, which is like the yapping of a dog, and is emitted when the animal is alarmed. It feeds mainly on grasses but will eat grasshoppers and other insects. Its burrow is deep in the ground and has many chambers, which are connected by long passages. The whole colony lives in one large burrow system. In winter it hibernates until March.
Reproduction: The mating season begins in late March and continues throughout April. After a gestation period of about one month, three or four young are born. They remain within the burrow for another month.
Go to the Rodents Page to learn more about all the gnawing animals.
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