Prairie dogs are large rodents (over 2 pounds) in the squirrel family (Sciuridae). They are social, living together in groups (called coteries) in a network of burrows (called towns) which they dig into the soil. Towns can be home to anywhere from 50 to millions of individual prairie dogs. They eat a variety of grasses, and because they are limited to flat grassland hatbitats, they are often percieved by ranchers as a nuisance. As a result, billions of prairie dogs have been killed or forced from their towns to make way for grazing cattle.

Cynomys ludovicianus, the black-tailed prairie dog, can be found in the grasslands of central Texas north to Canada. Historically, they were more widesread, but eradication attempts and habitat destruction have limited their distribution. Cynomys mexicanus, the Mexican prairie dog, is found only in the arid (dry) high-elevation grasslands of northern Mexico; it is now endangered.

Prairie dogs are the natural prey of a number of animals: hawks, eagles, foxes, coyotes and more. Humans also pose a threat to them. As a result, they spend much of their time watching for predators. In order to see as far as possible, a prairie dog will often stand on its hind legs and scan for danger. If it feels threatened, it may throw its head back and give a loud call to alert its coterie. Other individuals may sit very still at the entrance to a burrow.

The video below is of Mexican prairie dogs (Cynomys mexicanus), or perrito de las praderas, at San Rafael, Galeana, Nuevo León, México.