Black-tailed Prairie Dog
(
Cynomys ludovicianus )
|
Black-tailed Prairie Dog photographed at Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, Arizona
Photograph by Josh More. Some rights reserved. |
Black Tailed Prairie Dogs photographed at Prospect Park Zoo, Brooklyn, New York City.
Photograph by Wally Gobetz. Some rights reserved. |
Black Tailed Prairie Dogs photographed at Prospect Park Zoo, Brooklyn, New York City.
Photograph by Wally Gobetz. Some rights reserved. |
|
|
MAMMAL FACTS
|
Description
Black-tailed Prairie Dogs have the most complex social behavior of all Prairie dogs. They live in colonies, or towns, that may contain hundreds or even thousands of individuals within a compact area. They defend their territory aggressively. Black-tailed prairie dogs are brownish to brownish-red above and whitish underneath. Some of the individual hairs are black and some are banded black, white and shades of brown. The black tail distinguishes it from other similar prairie dogs.
Size
Length: 35cm - 41cm. Males are larger than females. Weight: males 0.85kg - 1.6kg; females 0.7kg - 1.0kg.
Environment
dry short-grass plains, river flats, prickly pear country
Food
mainly grasses and herbaceous plants. They also eat some invertebrates.
Breeding
A litter 1-6 (average 3-4) young are born after a gestation of about 33 - 38 days. The young are born naked and blind and weigh about 16g. They are waned after about 34 days.
Range
from around the Canada United States border to Texas in the south
Conservation Status
LR|nt
Classification
| Class: | Mammalia | | Order: | Rodentia | | Family: | Sciuridae | | Genus: | Cynomys | | Species: | ludovicianus | | Common Name: | Black-tailed Prairie Dog |
Relatives in same Genus
White-tailed Prairie Dog (C. leucurus)
Utah Prairie Dog (C. parvidens)
|
|
