Gunnison's Prairie Dog
Encyclopedia
Gunnison's prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) is one of five species of the prairie dog. This species belongs to the squirrel family of rodents, and are predominantly related to the North American and Eurasian ground squirrels. Gunnison’s prairie dogs are primarily distributed in the Four Corners region of the United States.

Physical description

Gunnison’s prairie dogs are 12 to 14 inches (30 to 37 centimeters) in length and have a tail that measures 1.25 to 2.25 inches (3 to 6 centimeters). This breed weighs from a range of 1.5 to 2.5 lbs (0.5 to 1 kg). On average males are larger in size than females. Gunnison's prairie dogs have 22 teeth. The Gunnison's prairie dogs have 5 pairs of mammary gland
Mammary gland
A mammary gland is an organ in mammals that produces milk to feed young offspring. Mammals get their name from the word "mammary". In ruminants such as cows, goats, and deer, the mammary glands are contained in their udders...

s.

The Gunnison’s prairie dog, C. gunnisoni, is the only prairie dog species that has 40 chromosome
Chromosome
A chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein found in cells. It is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes, regulatory elements and other nucleotide sequences. Chromosomes also contain DNA-bound proteins, which serve to package the DNA and control its functions.Chromosomes...

s. The other four species of prairie dog, Black-tailed prairie dog
Black-tailed Prairie Dog
The black-tailed prairie dog , 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...

, White-tailed prairie dog
White-tailed Prairie Dog
The white-tailed prairie dog is found in western Wyoming and western Colorado with small areas in eastern Utah and southern Montana. The largest populations are in Wyoming where they are known colloquially as "chiselers". This prairie dog species lives between 5,000 and 10,000 feet, generally a...

, Utah prairie dog
Utah Prairie Dog
The Utah prairie dog is the smallest species of prairie dog, a member of the squirrel family of rodents native to the south central steppes of the US state of Utah....

, and Mexican prairie dog
Mexican Prairie Dog
The Mexican prairie dog is a diurnal burrowing rodent native to Mexico. Treatment as an agricultural pest has led to its status as an endangered species. They are closely related to squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots.-Habitat and diet:...

, have 50 chromosomes.
Their coat is yellow-toned buff merged with black colored hairs. The upper head, sides of the cheek, and eyebrows are distinctly darker than the rest of the body. The tail is mostly white with grayish-white ends and the tip of the tail is light gray.

The Gunnison’s prairie dogs go through two yearly periodic shedding
Moult
In biology, moulting or molting , also known as sloughing, shedding, or for some species, ecdysis, is the manner in which an animal routinely casts off a part of its body , either at specific times of year, or at specific points in its life cycle.Moulting can involve the epidermis , pelage...

 during spring and fall. In spring, the shedding begins from the head to the rear tail. The process is reversed in the winter, it starts from the tail and proceeds to head.

A distinguishing physical trait of the prairie dog is the placement of the eyes. The eyes are situated on the sides of their heads, giving them a wide peripheral range of sight. This allows them to spot predators more easily and react as quickly as possible.

Nutrition

The Gunnison’s prairie dog typically feeds during the day, when they are most active. Their diet usually consists grasses, herbs, and leaves. During the spring they feed on newly grown shrubs. In the summer they mainly consume seeds. Food is scare in winter and fall. During these months they feed on stems and roots; and stored food, accumulated in the warmer months. While most prairie dogs are typically herbivores, some eat insects.

Habitat

Three-quarters of the population of Gunnison's prairie dog are located in Arizona and New Mexico. The Gunnison's prairie dog can be found in high desert
High desert
High desert refers to the inland and often high elevation deserts of the American West. Examples of high deserts in North America include the Great Basin Desert and the Mojave Desert.High desert can also mean:...

, grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...

s, meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...

s, hill
Hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...

sides, broad alluvial valley
Alluvium
Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, eroded, deposited, and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel...

s and floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...

s. They are often found in shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...

s, such as rabbitbrush
Rabbitbrush
Rabbitbrush is a common name for plants in two related genera of the family Asteraceae:* Chrysothamnus — most species, including Green Rabbitbrush* Ericameria — Gray and Parry's Rabbitbrush...

, sagebrush
Sagebrush (plant)
Sagebrush is the common name for Artemisia tridentata and a number of other species of shrubby plants in the genus Artemisia, native to the North American west and other parts of the world. It is sometimes confused with sage plants ....

, and saltbrush
Atriplex
Atriplex is a plant genus of 100-200 species, known by the common names of saltbush and orache . The genus is quite variable and widely distributed. It includes many desert and seashore plants and halophytes, as well as plants of moist environments...

. This species of prairie dogs resides in habitats ranging from 6,000-10,000 feet in altitude, although they have been recorded at altitudes as high as 12,000 feet.

The sagebrush ecosystem is dependent on these animals. As a result of the Gunnison’s prairie dogs burrowing, the soil is freshened, organic matter is added, and increased water penetration is able to occur. Their burrowing also creates habitats and exposes food sources for other living creatures.

Social structure

Gunnison’s prairie dogs live in colonies of up to several hundred individuals. Each colony is subdivided into smaller territories occupied by communal groups or solitary individuals. These communities of prairie dogs vary from 2 to 19 individuals and may be composed of a single male/single female, single male/multiple females, or multiple males/multiple females. Arrangement of the communities or social groups may be linked with the distribution of food resources. The territories inhabited by the Gunnison’s prairie dog are defended by social groups and violent behavior is common toward other animals who are not members. These prairie dogs often feed in feebly defended peripheral sections of territories that belong to other groups, but when members from different groups meet in these common feeding areas, conflicts can arise, with one prairie dog chasing the other back to its territory.

Behavior

All prairie dogs, including the Gunnison’s prairie dog are diurnal. This means that they exert the most activity in the early morning and late afternoon. During warm weather the highest activity levels occur at about 9 a.m., and from 2 p.m. to about an hour before the sun sets. When the temperature starts to cool, the Gunninson’s prairie dogs become more active during the day. When it snows or rains, the prairie dogs will stay underground.

Their above ground activities include making social contact, being aware of their surroundings and predators, grooming, burrowing, etc. Their main activity above ground is feeding. Although Gunnison’s prairie dogs are considered to be less social than Black-Tailed prairie dogs, they are considered to be more social than the White-tailed prairie dogs. Studies have shown that female Gunnison's prairie dogs are far more likely to engage in friendly social contact with other prairie dogs, and males are more likely to create conflict.

With exception of two types of prairie dog, the Black-tailed and Mexican, prairie dogs hibernate
Hibernation
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernating animals conserve food, especially during winter when food supplies are limited, tapping energy reserves, body fat, at a slow rate...

. During the winter, the Gunnison's prairie dog stays underground for long periods of time without food or water, using physiological adaptations to control their metabolism
Metabolism
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...

. Their bodies also rely on their stored body fat during hibernation. After hibernation, they become active again around March or April. This species is most active during the months of April through October.

Communication

The Gunnison’s prairie dog communicates through forms of physical contact, such as cuddling and kissing, and through vocalization, such as a warning bark. Their vocal communication is the foundation to their survival and structure of their community. Their system of vocal communication is complex and may be one of the most advanced forms of communication of all natural animal languages. Con Slobodchikoff
Con Slobodchikoff
Constantine 'Con' Slobodchikoff is an animal behaviorist and conservation biologist. He is a professor at Northern Arizona University where he studies referential communication, using prairie dogs as a model species. Much of his recent research has shown a complex communicative ability of the...

, a Northern Arizona University biology professor, has been a researching the behavior of prairie dogs for twenty years, and states that prairie dogs “have one of the most advanced forms of natural language known to science.”

The bark is a combination of one or two high-pitched audible syllables, with the second syllable lower and deeper. Prairie dogs have a unique sound to identify various predators. They also have different barks for a warning signal and an “all-clear” signal. Researchers and experts have been able to classify up to eleven of the distinct warning calls that the prairie dog uses to communicate. Also, females with offspring are more likely to give off a warning bark than males.

The warning signal is their primary source of survival because it alerts the other prairie dogs to nearby danger. The warning signal can last for up to thirty minutes and can be heard for nearly a mile away. As danger approaches closer, the intensity of the signal increases and ends after the prairie dog has entered into its safe haven.

Studies have also shown that prairie dogs can distinguish between the different colors of clothing that people wear, and between people expressing threatening and non-threatening behavior.

Breeding and life span

The Gunnison’s prairie dog mating season begins in mid-March and lasts until mid-May. A female Gunnison’s prairie dog is able to reproduce at the age of one year old. When food availability is scarce during the mating season, they may wait another year before breeding. Females engage in sexual intercourse for a single day during the mating season and can mate with approximately five males, depending on the population density of their habitat. Gestation lasts, on average, 30 days. Females produce one litter per year of four to five pups.

Once the pups are born, the mother Gunnison’s prairie dog breast-feeds for about 30 to 40 days. During this time the young pups remain safely in the nesting burrow located underground. Towards the end of lactation, the young are able to come out above ground; they must learn how to separate themselves from their mothers and survive on their own. As soon as the mother is done caring her young, she relocates herself to another burrow, leaving the now independent prairie dogs behind. Not too long after, the young scatter to other vacant burrows. A high percentage of female Gunnison’s prairie Dogs settle close by their birth territory for their entire lifetime, whereas a significantly low percentage of the male Gunnison’s Prairie Dogs stay close by their birth territory for longer than one year.

The life span of a Gunnison’s Prairie Dog is generally three to five years old in the wild, but they can live up to eight years of age.

The population of the Gunnison’s Prairie Dog declining drastically due to three major factors: shootings, plague cycles, and poisoning. Many concerned groups of people are requesting that the Gunnison’s Prairie Dog be listed under the federal Endangered Species Act
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is one of the dozens of United States environmental laws passed in the 1970s. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and...

.

Predators and disease

Predators of the Gunnison’s Prairie Dog include badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...

s, wolves, coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...

s, bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...

s, black-footed ferret
Black-footed Ferret
The Black-footed Ferret , also known as the American polecat or Prairie Dog Hunter, is a species of Mustelid native to central North America. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN, because of its very small and restricted populations...

s, weasels, golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...

s and large hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...

s. Humans also affect prairie dog populations, for example, some ranchers implement poisoning programs to eliminate prairie dogs.

Plague (disease), caused by Yersinia pestis
Yersinia pestis
Yersinia pestis is a Gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium. It is a facultative anaerobe that can infect humans and other animals....

and transmitted via fleas, can wipe out a numerous individuals of the prairie dog populations. It is not known why prairie dogs are affected by plague.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK