Little Dog on the Prairie
Prairie Dogs
Home Sweet Home
Prairie dogs live in underground colonies with a main entrance easily spotted by a mound of dirt. Prairie dogs have specialized rooms for rearing their young, sleeping, and defecating. They are a r-selected species and generally only live for 2-6 years. They're main predators are coyotes, badgers, eagles, and ferrets. They are primarily herbivorous but occasionally eat small insects.
Jump Yips
The Wild, WILD West
- Pete the Prairie Dog
White Tailed prairie dogs are kind until double-crossed. Their primary competition for food is the ground squirrel, as they both occupy a similar niche. Both are herbivorous and compete for energy from roots, seeds, various grasses, and flowering plants. A study conducted by John Hoogland of the University of Maryland Center of Environmental Sciences, found that the rodents killed for sport. The white tailed prairie dogs would go on killing sprees, violently murdering nearby ground squirrels who they competed with for food. When comparing the murderous prairie dogs to the innocent prairie dogs, they found an important correlation. The prairie dogs who went on killing spring had longer-living, healthier offspring than those who did not (National Geographic).