Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Named for their dog-like yips and barks, prairie dogs are actually rather large, stout, ground-dwelling rodents, found only in North America. Their jump-yips serve as a way for the prairie dogs to communicate the level of watchfulness within the colony. Prairie dog communication is so complex that they also have distinct alarm calls for different predators coyote, hawk, ferret, snake, etc. Beyond identifying the type of danger, they can recognize and communicate its size, shape, color and speed. Their burrows are used as shelter and may be shared by snakes, burrowing owls, rabbits, foxes, and even the endangered black-footed ferret. Prairie dogs are considered a keystone species because their colonies create essential islands of habitats that benefit approximately 150 other species.