Gunnison's prairie dog individuals of the prairie dog populations. Gunnison's prairie dog Gunnison's prairie dog ("Cynomys gunnisoni") is one of five species of the prairie dog. This species belongs to the squirrel family of rodents, and are predominantly related to the North American and Eurasian ground squirrels. Gunnison's prairie dogs are primarily distributed in the Four Corners region of the United States. Gunnison's prairie dogs are 12 to 14 inches (30 to 37 centimeters) in length and have tails that measure 1.25 to 2.25 inches (3 to 6 centimeters). This species weighs from 1.5 to 2.5 lbs (0.5 to 1 kg). On average,
Prairie dog a few eastern locales. Despite the name, they are not actually canines. Prairie dogs are named for their habitat and warning call, which sounds similar to a dog's bark. The name was in use at least as early as 1774. The 1804 journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition note that in September 1804, they "discovered a Village of an animal the French Call the Prairie Dog". Its genus, "Cynomys", derives from the Greek for "dog mouse" (κυων "kuōn", κυνος "kunos" – dog; μυς "mus", μυός "muos" – mouse). The black-tailed prairie dog ("Cynomys ludovicianus") was first described by Lewis