Wildlife Around Las Vegas, Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)

Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)
Mammals Around Las Vegas, Wildlife Around Las Vegas

Description: Black-tailed Prairie Dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) are large, yellow-gray ground squirrels with a short, black-tipped tail. The black tail tip is most obvious in juveniles, but it remains dark in adults. The head and body are about 11-13 inches long, and the tail is another 3-4 inches. The ears are small, and the belly is light or white.

Taxonomy: Class Mammalia (mammals); Order Rodentia (rodents); Family Sciuridae (squirrels)

Technical Description:

Breeding: Three to five (8) pups born in the springs.

Black tip on tail

Diet: grasses, forbs.

Range: Historic range was throughout the western Great Plains from southern Canada to northern Mexico, and from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains east into the western Dakotas and western Oklahoma. More restricted now due to poisoning and habitat loss. Historically occupied habitat is estimated to be about 100 million acres; current estimates are only 2 million acres.

Where to Find: Don't look for this species around Las Vegas, rather, look for them on trips to the east side of the Rocky Mountains.

Comments:

This over-stuffed prairie dog is ready for hibernation

If you were a tasty forb or a little flower, this might be the last face you ever see!

Bosque del Apache NWR, NM	Bosque del Apache NWR, NM
Bosque del Apache NWR, NM	Bosque del Apache NWR, NM
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson	Bosque del Apache NWR, NM
Canadian River, Texas	Canadian River, Texas
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson	Canadian River, Texas
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson	Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson	Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson
Bosque del Apache NWR, NM	Bosque del Apache NWR, NM
Canadian River, Texas	Notice the grass is mowed down in the prairie dog town
Adults and juvenile	Adults and juvenile
Black-tailed Prairie Dog juvenile	Black-tailed Prairie Dog juvenile

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
; Last updated 231221

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