Animals - Children's Zoo

Black-tailed Prairie Dog
Gynomys ludovicianus
Range:	Through North America; great plains from Montana to southern Saskatchewan to extreme northern Mexico.
Habitat:	Open plains and plateaus.
Diet:	Herbs, grasses, and an occasional insect. At the zoo: hay, monkey biscuits, apples, carrots, and lettuce.
Fun Facts:	Prairie dogs are found in large colonies, or "towns", that can cover many acres! Towns are generally divided into "wards", the boundaries of which are determined by topographic and vegetative features. Each ward consists of several "cotories", which are discrete social units containing an average of 9 individuals! The center of town is the safest and is occupied by the breeding pairs; the young and old are pushing outward! The life span is about 8 years!