Prairie dogs are closely tied to the prairie ecosystem. They eat mostly grasses and communicate through postures and calls. Their burrows provide shelter and are used for many social behaviors like grooming and nursing. Prairie dogs have predators like coyotes, eagles, and badgers. Their burrowing and grazing impacts the prairie landscape and benefits other species that use their mounds. They are a key part of maintaining the prairie through their foraging on grasses and aeration of the soil.

1. Prairie Dogs The center of the complex prairie ecosystem By Mike Link

2. No Species is more tied to the great plains ecology than the prairie dog.

6. Prairie Dog tracking

7. Note that the canines are lacking. The molars are prevalent because this is an animal that eats plants and crushes its food rather than tearing. Like all rodents, the incisors will keep growing if the animal does not wear them down by chewing. This is the same factor that we see so prominently in the beaver.

8. White Tailed Prairie Dog And Black Tailed Prairie Dog

12. Postures are clues to behaviors

13. Anti predator call

14. Another anti-predator call posture

15. Signaling – a social communication This is called the jump yip – it is the all clear signal

16. Social behavior includes grooming

17. Kissing which is actually touching teeth.

18. Nursing

19. Prairie dogs have a gestation period of one month. Average litter – four , blind and hairless at birth. Young remain underground for six weeks. They are weaned at 8 weeks. Greatest cause of infant mortality is infanticide by female member of coterie.

20. The relation of the Prairie Dog to both grasses and predators is complex

21. Coyotes shared the original prairie habitat with wolves

22. Using mound as observation post

28. The coyote is a prairie dog predator

29. Golden Eagles are the most efficient of the aerial predators. Hawks and eagles are most efficient in winter.

30. Badgers are the most prolific and will dig up and kill an entire family

31. Prairie Rattlesnakes I nhabit the burrow, but most often prey on smaller rodents that use the burrows. The young prairie dogs are usually born while the rattler is hibernating.

32. Burrowing Owl live in the burrows but seldom predate the dogs

33. The owls actually benefit from both the burrows and the dogs vigilance in watching for other predators

34. Bisons are beneficiaries of the Prairie Dog aeration of the soil, the young, nutritious shoots, and the available mounds for dusting.

36. Western Wheatgrass

37. Blue Grama

38. Buffalo Grass

39. Sixweeks fescue

40. Tumblegrass – also tumble lovegrass

42. Grazing by bison and pronghorn also helps to maintain the site lines for the prairie dogs Other mammals are aided by the fact that the constant mowing provides the more nutrient rich shoot and reduction of tall grasses encourages forbs