Mexican prairie dog of prairie dogs and associated species, such as shorebirds and birds of prey. Pronatura Noreste, as of February 2007, has signed conservation easements with "ejidos" and private owners for the protection of more than 42,000 acres (170 km) of Mexican prairie dog grasslands. 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
Black-tailed prairie dog eagles ("Aquila chrysaetos"), ferruginous hawks ("Buteo regalis"), red-tailed hawks ("Buteo jamaicensis"), and prairie rattlesnakes ("Crotalus viridis"). Although now very rare, black-footed ferrets ("Mustela nigripes") were once a major predator of the black-tailed prairie dog. Black-tailed prairie dogs have been called "ecosystem engineers" due to their influence on the biotic and abiotic characteristics of their habitat, landscape architecture, and ecosystem structure and function. Research suggests black-tailed prairie dogs are a keystone species in some, but not all, geographic areas. Black-tailed prairie dogs enhance the diversity of vegetation, vertebrates, and invertebrates through their foraging and burrowing activities and by their presence as