Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Black-tailed Prairie Dog

I think these Black-tailed Prairie Dogs are both young ones. Finally got to the Zoo for the afternoon and by the time I reached these little guys, the sunlight was getting a bit harsh. Too cute a pose to miss, though : )

Two of the seemingly always plump Black-tailed Prairie Dogs that live at the Calgary Zoo. "The Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus), is a rodent of the family sciuridae found in the Great Plains of North America from about the USA-Canada border to the USA-Mexico border." From Wikipedia.

Yes, these two little things live in captivity with quite a few others, at the Calgary Zoo. They look rather like Richardson's Ground Squirrels that are wild in Alberta, but these are in fact Black-tailed Prairie Dogs. 'They are found in the Great Plains of North America from about the USA-Canada border to the USA-Mexico border. Black-tailed prairie dogs are frequently exterminated from ranchland, being labelled as a pest. Their habitat has been fragmented, and their numbers have been greatly reduced. Additionally, black-tailed prairie dogs are remarkably susceptible to plague." From Wikipedia. Their Conservation Status is Least Concern. "Canada’s remaining population of black-tailed prairie dogs can only be found in southwest Saskatchewan around Grasslands National Park." (Calgary Zoo info).

I almost felt sorry for this little Black-tailed Prairie Dog - he just seemed to be staring out over the great expanse of sunlit snow, as if wondering what the dickens he was doing out of hibernation THIS early : )

This is a typical view of one of these Black-tailed Prairie Dogs that reside at the Calgary Zoo. Amazing how they can live on thin bits of "greens" and yet end up so rotund, lol! "In Canada, Richardson’s ground squirrels are ubiquitous throughout the mixed-grass and fescue prairies of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, whereas Black-tailed prairie dogs are found only in the vicinity of Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan." From www.albertapcf.org . en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-tailed_prairie_dog Some of you might be interested in this link to an article about an "Ice Age plant revived after 30,000 years in frozen burrow | CTV News". Thanks for sending me this link, Gerry (altamons)! www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/SciTech/20120220/Ice-Age-plant-resurre...

These rather (well, VERY) rounded little Black-tailed Prairie Dogs are so hilarious to watch at the Calgary Zoo. Often, they are nibbling on a long piece of grass or interacting in quite a tender way. "The Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus), is a rodent of the family sciuridae found in the Great Plains of North America from about the USA-Canada border to the USA-Mexico border. Unlike some other prairie dogs, these animals do not truly hibernate. The Black-tailed Prairie Dog can be seen aboveground in midwinter. There is a report of a Black-tailed prairie dog town in Texas that covered 64,000 km2 (25,000 sq mi) and included 400,000,000 individuals. Prior to habitat destruction, this species was probably the most abundant prairie dog in central North America. This species was one of two described by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the journals and diaries of their expedition. Conservation status is Least Concern." From Wikipedia.

The Black-tailed Prairie Dogs at the Calgary Zoo are the cutest things to watch. To me, they always look as though they are sitting around, chatting, and some of their poses are very endearing. I saw one of them carrying a mouthful of grass, presumably ready for nest building.

One of the Black-tailed Prairie Dogs that live at the Calgary Zoo. Looks like she's trying to get a bit of a tan on that pale, plump belly : )

On the day I took this photo of one of the Black-tailed Prairie Dogs at the Calgary Zoo, the heat was unbearable, and even these little guys seemed to be feeling the heat.

This fat little Black-tailed Prairie Dog resides at the Calgary Zoo. I have never seen any of them looking THIN, LOL!

Can never remember if this is a Marmot, Groundhog or Prairie Dog at the Calgary Zoo. There is no sign (that I could see) saying what these roly-poly animals are. (Later: this is a Black-tailed Prairie Dog).