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UTAH PRAIRIE DOG FACTS
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Description
The Utah Prairie dog is an endangered species protected by law. It is the smallest of all the prairie dogs. The body is cinnamon brown in color with some darker brown markings. The tail is almost all white. There are dark brown spots around the eyes and the upper lip and chin are white. They form colonies and dig extensive burrow systems underground.
Size
Total length: 30cm - 36cm. Tail length: 3cm - 6cm.
Environment
well-drained grassland with low vegetation and deep soil for digging burrows
Food
flowers, seeds, grasses, also some insects such as cicadas
Breeding
A litter of 3 - 4 young are born in April after a gestation period of about 30 days.
Range
restricted to south west of Utah I the United States
Notes
Populations of Utah Prairie Dog has been reduced due to diseases, poisoning, droughts, and habitat alterations for cultivation and grazing
Conservation Status
LR|cd
Classification
| Class: | Mammalia | | Order: | Rodentia | | Family: | Sciuridae | | Genus: | Cynomys | | Species: | parvidens | | Common Name: | Utah Prairie Dog |
Relatives in same Genus
White-tailed Prairie Dog (C. leucurus)
Black-tailed Prairie Dog (C. ludovicianus)
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