Praire DogBy Ariel

Physical Characteristics • The Prairie Dog can be

about 12-15 inches tall (including a 2-3 inch tail).

• The Prairie Dog can weigh 1-3 pounds.

• They can be different colors like brown with black and white markings.

• They have a black tail, short legs, big brown eyes, and sharp claws.

Lifespan • Prairie Dogs can live

up to 3-5 years in the wild alone and 8 years in captivity. Pretty amazing!

Eating Habits/Diet • A Prairie Dog is a

omnivore. • They eat plants and

animals.• They eat grasses,

sedges, forbs (flowering plants), roots, and seeds. They’re also known to eat insects.

Population • Prairie Dogs once

numbered in the hundreds of millions and maybe even over 1 billion.• Their population has

decreased by over 95% to 10-20 million. There’s not very many left.

Habitat/Range• Prairie Dogs live in 10

U.S states, 2 Mexican states, and 1 Canadian province. Imagine that.

Adaptations • Prairie Dogs use their

claws for digging burrows.• Prairie Dogs use their

teeth for eating insects and plants.• Their brown fur helps

them keep warm and camouflage.

Endangered Because • Prairie Dogs are

endangered.• They are endangered

because of habitat destruction, poisoning, exotic diseases, and the climate.

Fun Fact • Did you know that

the Black Tailed Prairie Dog does not hibernate in the winter?

Reference • For more information

check out www.defendersofthewild.org• Pictures from

• animalphotos.info/a/topics/animals/mammals/rodents/prairie-dogs/

• animal.discovery.com • animals.nationalgeographic.com/

animals/mammals/prairie-dog/