The killings of March 5, promptly termed a âmassacreâ by Patriot leaders and commemorated in a widely circulated engraving by Paul Revere, aroused intense public protests and threats of violent retaliation. This pressure caused Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hutchinson to withdraw the troops to an island in the harbor.
Prairie dogs belong to the squirrel family, Sciuridae, which includes squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots, in the Mammalian Order Rodentia. Their scientific name is Cynomys ludovicianus, which means dog mouse of Louisiana. The Black-tailed prairie dog is 12 to 15 inches in length and weighs between 2 and 4 pounds.
The black-tailed prairie dogs continue to be a favorite with zoo visitors. We currently have about 18 black-tailed prairie dogs here at the zoo. The prairie dogs are constantly digging and thus new dirt must be constantly added to this exhibit. They also enjoy chewing on roots that are sometimes added with the dirt. The prairie dogs are most active in evenings and during bright, sunny days. They do not like to be above-ground when it is cloudy or there is bad weather. In mid to late June we usually have several babies that come up to the surface for the first time. It is always exciting to see these little ones jumping around and playing with the older prairie dogs for the first time.