Prairie dogs are burrowing, colonial mammals that belong to the genus Cynomys of the squirrel family. Other members of the squirrel family include chipmunks, flying squirrel, ground squirrels, marmots, and tree squirrels.
The genus Cynomys belongs to the squirrel family or rodents and is most closely related to North American and Eurasian ground squirrel. The genus Cynomys has five living species, including the black-tailed prairie dog, whose scientific name is
Cynomys ludovicianus.
Prairie dogs are bright, active, strong-willed, mischievous, determined busybodies. Adults are pear shape weighing 600-1500 g, have brown fur, stand about 30-35 cm tall, and typically live in large colonies. Highly social, prairie dogs live in colonies, called
towns, with many burrows in a concentrated area.
Their front legs are short and muscular for logging out burrows. Each foot has four toes with long claws and a half thumb-like inner toe.
Prairie dogs
