Prairie dog Prairie dog Prairie dogs (genus Cynomys) are herbivorous burrowing rodents native to the grasslands of North America. The five species are: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah, and Mexican prairie dogs. They are a type of ground squirrel, found in the United States, Canada and Mexico. In Mexico, prairie dogs are found primarily in the northern states, which lie at the southern end of the Great Plains: northeastern Sonora, north and northeastern Chihuahua, northern Coahuila, northern Nuevo León, and northern Tamaulipas. In the United States, they range primarily to the west of the Mississippi River, though they have also been introduced in
Gunnison's prairie dog other prairie dogs to nearby danger. It can last for up to 30 minutes and can be heard nearly a mile away. As danger approaches, the intensity of the signal increases, and it ends after the prairie dog has entered its safe haven. Studies have also shown prairie dogs can distinguish between the different colors of clothing people wear, and between people expressing threatening and nonthreatening behavior. The Gunnison's prairie dog mating season begins in mid-March and lasts until mid-May. A female is able to reproduce at the age of one year. When food availability is scarce during the mating