The also banned importation of prairie dogs in response | Arch Cape Press, NY 1988 p271• Using its color vision, it can detect predators from a far distance and then alert other prairie dogs to the danger with a special, high-pitched call |
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The prairie dog ban is frequently cited by the CDC as a successful response to the threat of | Prairie dogs line their burrows with grass to insulate them, and the earth excavated from the burrow is piled up in mounds around the burrow's entrance |
This action is thought to resemble the startled response of a group of prairie dogs.
About 14 other genera in subfamily Additional images• The tunnels usually have several chambers | In a recent commercial, a surprised gopher confronts a "mini cattle |
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It feeds primarily on grasses and, in the fall, |
The largest remaining community comprises.
20Other species, such as the and the , also rely on prairie dog burrows for nesting areas | Prairie dog tunnel systems help channel rainwater into the to prevent and , and can also serve to change the composition of the soil in a region by reversing soil compaction that can be a result of cattle grazing |
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Prairie dogs also trim the vegetation around their colonies, perhaps to remove any cover for predators | Each year they go into a period called that can last for several months, in which their personalities can drastically change, often becoming defensive or even aggressive |
They can be difficult pets to care for, requiring regular attention and a very specific diet of grasses and hay.