Mexican prairie dog Mexican prairie dog The Mexican prairie dog ("Cynomys mexicanus") is a diurnal burrowing rodent native to Mexico. Treatment as an agricultural pest has led to its status as an endangered species. They are closely related to squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots. "Cynomys mexicanus" originated about 230,000 years ago from a peripherally isolated population of the more widespread "Cynomys ludovicianus". These prairie dogs prefer to inhabit rock-free soil in plains at an altitude of . They are found in the regions of southern Coahuila and northern San Luis Potosí in northern Mexico, where they eat herbs and grasses native to the plains
Black-tailed prairie dog coccinea") and Russian thistle ("Salsola kali") are preferred during late summer and fall, but are sought out during every season. During winter, plains prickly pear ("Opuntia polyacantha"), Russian thistle, and underground roots are preferred. Shrubs such as rabbitbrush ("Chrysothamnus" spp.), winterfat ("Krascheninnikovia lanata"), saltbush ("Atriplex" spp.), and sagebrush ("Artemisia" spp.) are also commonly eaten. Water, which is generally not available on the short-grass prairie, is obtained from vegetation such as plains prickly pear. Koford estimated one black-tailed prairie dog eats about 7 lb (3 kg) of herbage per month during summer. Cutworms, grasshoppers, and old or fresh American bison scat