Throughout most of the western United States from Canada to Mexico -- Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and Wyoming -- including higher elevations of the Mojave, Great Basin and Chihuahuan deserts.
Prairie Dogs are the most social members of the Squirrel Family and are closely related to ground squirrels, chipmunks and marmots. There are 5 species of Prairie Dogs (genus Cynomys):
Black-tailed Prairie Dog (C. ludovicianus) occupies narrow bands of dry plains stretching from central Texans to Canada.
White-tailed Prairie Dog (C. leucurus) inhabits Western US: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana.
Gunnison's Prairie Dog (C. gunnisoni) has a much shorter tail than other Prairie Dogs, and it is uniquely colored and centers around the Four Corners from 5000-11000 feet.
Mexican Prairie Dog (C. mexicanus) is an endangered species with a limited distribution only within parts of Mexico.
Of the two main species of Prairie Dogs, the Black-tailed (C. ludovicianus) has a black-tipped tail and is much more widespread, occurring sparsely over the Great Plains and throughout the Great Basin. Black-tailed are the Prairie Dogs normally sold in pet shops and may either be a baby caught in the wild or from a breeder.
The other main species, the White-tailed Prairie Dog (C. leucurus), has a white-tipped tail and inhabits higher altitudes than the Black-tailed. It hibernates in winter and is less colonial in habit.
Prairie Dogs are robust rodents, slightly grizzled and fat. They have broad, rounded heads, hairy tails and short legs. They have 22 teeth. Prairie Dogs weigh 1 1/2 to 3 lbs. The head and body are 11 to 13 inches long, with a tail length of 3 to 4 inches. They are yellowish in color, with darker ears and a pale buff to whitish belly. Prairie Dogs have whitish or buffy patches on the sides of their nose, their upper lips and around their eyes in the form of a ring.
Prairie Dogs have a high-pitched, bark-like call. Recent studies suggest that Prairie Dogs possess the most sophisticated of all natural animal languages. They apparently issue different sounds identifying various predators, which include hawks, owls, eagles, ravens, coyotes, badgers, ferrets and snakes. Prairie Dogs can run up to 35 miles per hour for short distances. The Prairie Dog has only one defense that works -- raising the alarm and disappearing quickly.
Prairie Dog tails are generally short and bushy, but vary considerably in length and color between species.
Prairie Dogs' ears are very short and often hidden in the fur.
Prairie Dogs' eyes, which are positioned on the sides of the head, appear to be adapted for detecting movement over a wide arc; this allows the detection of predators with greater success.
Prairie Dog's feet are a usually a creamy color.
All Prairie Dogs are diurnal. While most may be dormant for short periods of cold weather, the White-tailed species is a true hibernator in winter.
Prairie Dogs have an intricate social system composed of one male and several close-kin females and their offspring. Populations vary from 5 to 35 per acre.
The Prairie Dog digs its own burrows. There is a well-constructed and frequently reinforced dike against flooding from sudden rains. The entrance holes themselves are funnel-shaped, from 3 to 4 inches in diameter.