The prairie dog gets it’s name from it’s warning bark. It sounds similar to the bark of a dog. It is a member of the squirrel family sciuridea. There are a number of species of prairie dog. Mainly there is the black-
tailed and the white-tailed prairie dog with the black-tailed variety the most numerous. They have brown fur and can weigh up to a couple of pounds. They are digging members of the squirrel family and being gregarious live in large communities that can number in the thousands. They live underground but come out in the daytime to feed. They eat mostly grasses and leaves from various plants. A coterie is a single family unit of prairie dogs that consists of a single male and a mix of females and offspring. A colony of prairie dogs is made up of many coteries. In spring the female gives birth to as many as 5 or 6 young. The prairie dog’s main enemies include the bobcat, badger, eagles, hawks and coyotes. At the first sign of danger they let out their characteristic bark and then dive straight for their burrow.