The white-tailed prairie dog (''Cynomys leucurus'') is found in western

Wyoming Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to the s ...

and western

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with small areas in eastern

Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...

and southern

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...

. The largest populations are in Wyoming where they are known colloquially as "chiselers". This prairie dog species lives at an elevation between 5,000 and 10,000 feet, generally a higher elevation than other prairie dog species. Its predators include black-footed ferrets,

badgers Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the family Mustelidae (which also includes the otters, wolverines, martens, minks, polecats, weasels, and ferrets). Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by the ...

, and

golden eagles The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known birds ...

Description

The white-tailed prairie dog is tan-brown in color, with large eyes and a dark patch on their cheeks above and below each eye. This prairie dog species weighs between 28 - 53oz (800 - 1500g), while having a length between 12 - 16in (315 - 399mm).

Behavior

White-tailed prairie dogs display Interspecific competition with the

Wyoming ground squirrel The Wyoming ground squirrel (''Urocitellus elegans'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to the Northwestern United States The Northwestern United States, also known as the American Northwest or simply the Northwe ...

. When the squirrel enters the territory of the prairie dog, the white-tailed prairie dog chases the squirrel. Rarely does the prairie dog capture and kill the squirrel, but when it does, it leaves the squirrel for avian predators, as the prairie dog is an herbivore. Female white-tailed prairie dogs who killed squirrels had increased litter sizes, but the higher her body count, the lower her chances of surviving each subsequent attack. White-tailed prairie dogs are diurnal, being the most active in the morning and afternoon. This species also hibernates in the winter seasons within their underground burrows and emerge to the surface when warmer seasonal changes occur. Male white-tailed prairie dogs emerge in late February to early March, while the female white-tailed prairie dog emerges roughly 2–3 weeks later.

Diet

White-tailed prairie dogs are herbivorous, feeding mainly on grass, forbs, and sedges, primarily forbs.

Lifestyle

White-tailed prairie dogs have a complex social system and live in colonies. This species uses visual signals and barks for communication. On average, each colony has 6 different "clans" or families. These families forage together for food and resources. The female white-tailed prairie dogs and their pups are sedentary, meaning they stay close to or inside the burrow, while the male seeks the food.

Conservation status

White-tailed prairie dog populations have decreased dramatically, and the remaining population occupies only around 8% of their original range. It is subject to population controls by humans (shooting and poisoning), and threatened by a disease called Sylvatic Plague that can infect all prairie dogs. This animal lives in small communities that are vulnerable to being wiped out by all of these issues. This species appears in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with a

status Status (Latin plural: ''statūs''), is a state, condition, or situation, and may refer to: * Status (law) ** City status ** Legal status, in law ** Political status, in international law ** Small entity status, in patent law ** Status confere ...

of least concern, last assessed in 1996. Petitions have been made to protect the white-tailed prairie dog, but they have been denied by the

United States Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

due to insufficient scientific data describing current population trends. This denial is being reconsidered, because former deputy assistant secretary Julie MacDonald has been found to have improperly influenced the scientific basis of the denial. Groups such as the Biodiversity Conservation Alliance are working to legally protect this species.

References

External links

Prairie dogs videos (in English)

Prairie Dogs
Biodiversity Conservation Alliance Prairie dogs Prairie dog, White-tailed Prairie dog, White-tailed Prairie dog, White-tailed Mammals described in 1890 {{ground-squirrel-stub