1. P RAIRIE D OG By: Jesslyn

2. P HYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS The prairie dog’s length is 12-15 inches. The prairie dog’s weight is 1-3 lbs. The prairie dog’s color is brown fur.

3. L IFESPAN The prairie dog lives up to 3-5 years in the wild. The prairie dog lives up to 8 years in captivity.

4. E ATING HABITS / DIET The prairie dog is a omnivore. The prairie eats grasses, sedges, and forbs.

5. P OPULATION The black tailed prairie dog once was numbered in the hundreds of millions.

6. ADAPTATIONS Sharp Claws- The prairie dog uses its sharp claws for digging burrows. Large Black Eyes- The prairie dog uses its large black eyes for finding food. Short Legs- The prairie dog uses its short legs to get around to get the food they found.

7. H ABITAT / RANGE The black tailed prairie dog colonies were once found across the Great Plains.

8. F UN FACTS When the prairie dogs are acting as sentries, they are watching for predators or signs of danger.

9. E NDANGERED BECAUSE The prairie dog’s predators are eating some of the prairie dogs. Humans are destroying some of the prairie habitats.

10. REFERENCE Defenders of the Wild. 2012. www.defenders.org www.defenders.org