Although he isn’t always a welcome resident, this little fella is common across the Wessington Springs area.
Named for their bark-like warning noise, prairie dogs have roamed the plains for centuries. The 1804 journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition note that in September 1804, they “discovered a Village of an animal the French Call the Prairie Dog.” Here in South Dakota we are home to the black-tailed prairie dog species.
Prairie dogs are highly social animals, living in colonies that can span hundreds of acres. Reaching sexual maturity at the age of three, the pups will then be moved to the outer edges of a prairie dog town to start their own families.
Burrowing in the ground, prairie dogs make tunnels that can be up to 16 feet deep and as long as 98 feet in length. They pile the dirt outside their holes making a mound. This mound is used as on observation tower to watch for predators, guard their home, and to greet other prairie dogs.
The prairie dog is in the rodent family and can be found throughout South Dakota on both public and private land. They can be hunted in the spring, summer, and fall with an annual predator licence.
Prairie dogs can also be viewed in captivity at Reptile Gardens in Rapid City, where there is an underground observation station.
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