Download ppt - Prairie dogs

Transcript
Page 1: Prairie dogs

Prairie Dogs

The center of the complex prairie ecosystem

By Mike Link

Page 2: Prairie dogs

No Species is more tied to the great plains ecology than the prairie

dog.

Page 3: Prairie dogs
Page 4: Prairie dogs
Page 5: Prairie dogs
Page 6: Prairie dogs

Prairie Dog tracking

Page 7: Prairie dogs

Note that the canines are lacking.

The molars are prevalent because this is an animal that eats plants and crushes its food rather than tearing.

Like all rodents, the incisors will keep growing if the animal does not wear them down by chewing. This is the same factor that we see so prominently in the beaver.

Page 8: Prairie dogs

White Tailed Prairie Dog

And

Black Tailed Prairie Dog

Page 9: Prairie dogs
Page 10: Prairie dogs
Page 11: Prairie dogs
Page 12: Prairie dogs

Postures are clues to behaviors

Page 13: Prairie dogs

Anti predator call

Page 14: Prairie dogs

Another anti-predator call posture

Page 15: Prairie dogs

Signaling – a social communication

This is called the jump yip – it is the all clear signal

Page 16: Prairie dogs

Social behavior includes grooming

Page 17: Prairie dogs

Kissing which is actually touching teeth.

Page 18: Prairie dogs

Nursing

Page 19: Prairie dogs

Prairie dogs have a gestation period of one month.

Average litter – four, blind and hairless at birth. Young remain underground for

six weeks. They are weaned at 8 weeks. Greatest cause of infant mortality is infanticide by female member of coterie.

Page 20: Prairie dogs

The relation of the Prairie Dog to both grasses and predators is complex

Page 21: Prairie dogs

Coyotes shared the original prairie habitat with wolves

Page 22: Prairie dogs

Using mound as observation post

Page 23: Prairie dogs

Burrow site

• Deep soil layers• Few rocks• No flooding• Productive vegetation

regime• Flat land, minimum slope• 30 – 50 entrances per

acre• Entrance use can extend

to 100 years.

• 2 – 5 entrances• Depth of 3 -10 feet• Total length 50 feet• Diameter 4 – 5 inches• Entrance mound 3 – 6

feet.• In dry conditions, mound

may blow away and not build up.

Page 24: Prairie dogs
Page 25: Prairie dogs
Page 26: Prairie dogs
Page 27: Prairie dogs
Page 28: Prairie dogs

The coyote is a prairie dog predator

Page 29: Prairie dogs

Golden Eagles are the most efficient of the aerial predators. Hawks and eagles

are most efficient in winter.

Page 30: Prairie dogs

Badgers are the most prolific and will dig up and kill an entire family

Page 31: Prairie dogs

Prairie Rattlesnakes Inhabit the burrow, but most often prey on smaller rodents that use the burrows. The

young prairie dogs are usually born while the rattler is hibernating.

Page 32: Prairie dogs

Burrowing Owl live in the burrows but seldom predate the dogs

Page 33: Prairie dogs

The owls actually benefit from both the burrows and the dogs vigilance in

watching for other predators

Page 34: Prairie dogs

Bisons are beneficiaries of the Prairie Dog aeration of the soil, the young, nutritious shoots, and the available

mounds for dusting.

Page 35: Prairie dogs

Plants and Prairie Dogs

• The bulk of the prairie dog diet is made up of five grasses

• Blue grama• Buffalo grass• Sixweeks fescue• Tumblegrass• Western Wheatgrass• In one year, one cow eats the equivalent of 256

adult prairie dogs!!

Page 36: Prairie dogs

Western Wheatgrass

Page 37: Prairie dogs

Blue Grama

Page 38: Prairie dogs

Buffalo Grass

Page 39: Prairie dogs

Sixweeks fescue

Page 40: Prairie dogs

Tumblegrass – also tumble lovegrass

Page 41: Prairie dogs

Diet

• The prairie dog diet includes many more plants – such as orange globe mallow.

• The additional plants vary depending upon the season.

• They will eat grasshoppers and have been cannibalistic at times.

• Sometimes they chew taller, more fibrous grasses to clear observation areas.

Page 42: Prairie dogs

Grazing by bison and pronghorn also helps to maintain the site lines

for the prairie dogs

Other mammals are aided by the fact that the constant mowing provides the more nutrient rich shoot and reduction of tall grasses encourages forbs

Page 43: Prairie dogs
Page 44: Prairie dogs
Page 45: Prairie dogs

Questions???????

• How does activity level change during day?• Which areas of the dog town have the most young?• Is there are difference in response to humans from those adjacent

the road to the distant mounds? • What is the density of burrows?• Is there always a watch dog? Or do they all forage at the same

time?


Recommended