The Black-tailed Prairie Dog is a colonial ground squirrel that builds elaborate underground towns of interconnected burrows across the Great Plains. Researchers have decoded a sophisticated alarm-call language that conveys specific details about approaching predators, including size, shape, and color. Prairie dog towns support extraordinary biodiversity, providing food and shelter for over 200 wildlife species.
Habitat
Shortgrass and mixed-grass prairies
Diet
Grasses, forbs, and roots
How common
Uncommon
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