Prairie Dog Lover's Burrow

Species

Prairie Dog Coalition hired Big Sky Conservation Institute to create this map

In 1900, an enormous prairie dog settlement was reported on the high plains of Texas that extended 100 miles in one direction, and 250 miles in the other. An estimated 400 million prairie dogs lived in this "town!"

At one time you could find prairie dogs throughout most of the western United States from Canada to Mexico, Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and Wyoming, including higher elevations of the Mojave, Great Basin and Chihuahuan deserts.

Prairie Dogs are the most social members of the Squirrel Family and are closely related to ground squirrels, chipmunks and marmots.

There are 5 species of Prairie Dogs (genus cynomys):

Black-Tailed and Gunnison's "PD Pals"

Boo Boo and Speedbump

Black-Tailed (cynomys ludovicianus)

The Black-tailed Prairie Dog (cynomys ludovicianus) occupies narrow bands of dry plains stretching from central Texans to Canada.

Mollie & Boo Boo

Lena

Black-tailed Color Variations

Gunnison (cynomys gunnisoni)

The Gunnison's Prairie Dog (cynomys gunnisoni) has a much shorter tail than other prairie dogs, and it is uniquely colored. They are centered around the 'Four Corners' from 5000 - 11000 feet.