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 to five years in the wild, but they can live up to eight years of age. The population of the Gunnison's prairie dog is declining drastically due to three major factors: shootings, plague cycles, and poisoning. Many concerned groups of people are requesting that the Gunnison's Prairie Dog be listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. Predators include badgers, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, black-footed ferrets, weasels, golden eagles and large hawks. Humans also affect prairie dog populations; for example, some ranchers implement poisoning programs to eliminate them. Plague (disease), caused by "Yersinia pestis" and transmitted via fleas, can wipe out numerous