Welcome to the National Parks USA forum! Registered members can download resources for free and use the forum without advertising banners. Click here for free registration. After registration, check your mailbox and confirm your email address.
Information about the Prairie Dog of Wind Cave National Park.
Prairie dogs, which are burrowing ground squirrels, are perhaps the easiest found animals in the park. The name "prairie dog" came from their bark-like call, not from their appearance. They were called "petit chien" or "little dog" by early French explorers and were scientifically described in the journals of Lewis and Clark.
There are five species of prairie dog in North America, but this park has one prairie dog species, the black-tailed prairie dog, named for the black tip of its tail.
Prairie dogs have small ears, short tails, and muscular legs. Their fur is buff-colored and often blends with the earth in which they dig their burrows.
Prairie dogs rely on keen hearing, excellent eyesight and a communal warning system for protection against predators. They are social animals and the areas they inhabit are known as towns or colonies. Town is a good term because, in a way, their towns are much like ours. A dog town may vary in size from an acre to several hundred acres.
Prairie dogs can be found in their prairie dog towns throughout the park.
Discover guided tours, tickets and activities available near Wind Cave National Park.
Choose an experience type and explore available activities near Wind Cave National Park.
No additional access requirement details are available from the provider.
National Parks Explorer strives to present accurate and up-to-date information collected from official and trusted sources, including the National Park Service. While we make every effort to keep this information current, information may be incomplete, inaccurate, outdated or subject to change without prior notice, including access requirements, permits, reservations, operating hours, alerts, fees, road and trail conditions, weather and other visitor information.
