Prairie Dog

From the rodent family, these prairie dogs have some of the largest colonies. Ranging mostly over the central states and parts of Canada and Mexico. Colonies can be as large as an acre. Their tunnels are complex and deep. Most can be as deep as 4-6 ft to at the most 20ft. While a predator is waiting at an entrance, these can escape from a distance. They don't like to be any further then 16ft which could prevent them from returning to the safety of the burrows in case of predators.<br>
The Black-tailed Prairie Dog is about the size of a rabbit. Tan in color, with a lighter underside and the black tip of their short tail. Ears are short and flat, and their muzzle is short, broad and thick. They warn the colony with their chirps and barks. When you get too close they close their legs in and drop quickly in their vertical tunnels. Some of the tunnels are crater shaped, dome or flat, depending on the grass cover, soil or terrain.