prairie dog

The prairie dog Cynomys is a small North American rodent that lives in burrows on the plains. Its diet consists of grasses and other prairie plants. It builds a cone of soil at the burrow entrance from which it can look out for predators.

Any of the North American genus Cynomys of burrowing rodents in the squirrel family (Sciuridae). They grow to 30 cm/12 in, plus a short 8 cm/3 in tail. Their ‘towns’ can contain up to several thousand individuals. Their barking cry has given them their name. Persecution by ranchers has brought most of the five species close to extinction.