Other species, such as the golden-mantled ground squirrel, mountain plover, and the burrowing owl, also rely on prairie dog burrows for nesting areas. They are extremely important in the food chain, being important to the diet of many animals such as the black-footed ferret, swift fox, golden eagle, red tailed hawk, American badger, and coyote. Their mound-building encourages grass development and renewal of topsoil, with rich mineral, and nutrient renewal in the soil, which can be crucial for soil quality and agriculture. Prairie dogs are considered a keystone species, with their mounds often being used by other species. Despite the name, they are not actually canines prairie dogs, along with the marmots, chipmunks, and several other basal genera belong to the ground squirrels ( tribe Marmotini), part of the larger squirrel family ( Sciuridae). They are also found in the Canadian Prairies. In the United States, they range primarily to the west of the Mississippi River, though they have also been introduced in a few eastern locales. In Mexico, prairie dogs are found primarily in the northern states, which lie at the southern end of the Great Plains: northeastern Sonora, north and northeastern Chihuahua, northern Coahuila, northern Nuevo León, and northern Tamaulipas. Within the genus are five species: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah, and Mexican prairie dogs. Prairie dogs (genus Cynomys) are herbivorous burrowing ground squirrels native to the grasslands of North America.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |