White-Tailed Prairie Dog
探検哺乳類
White-Tailed Prairie Dog
cynomys leucurus
The White-Tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys leucurus) is a charismatic burrowing rodent native to the high-elevation shrub-steppes and mountain valleys of the western United States. Unlike their famous black-tailed cousins, these industrious mammals live at higher, colder elevations and spend up to half the year in deep underground hibernation. They are crucial ecosystem engineers, creating extensive burrow networks that provide essential shelter for dozens of other animal species while churned soil from their digging promotes diverse, nutrient-rich plant growth. Though they are social animals that form family groups, their colonies are typically less densely packed than those of low-elevation species, reflecting the harsher and more dispersed resources of their montane environment.
生息地: Found in high-altitude shrub-steppes, sagebrush plains, and dry mountain valleys of the western United States.
外見
Easily distinguished from other prairie dogs by the distinct white tip on their short tails, Cynomys leucurus has a stocky, robust body covered in tawny, yellowish-brown fur mixed with black-tipped hairs. They feature large dark eyes bordered by pale rings, short rounded ears, and buff-colored underparts. Adult lengths range from 33 to 40 centimeters, and they undergo significant seasonal weight fluctuations, appearing plump and round in late summer as they build up fat reserves for winter hibernation.
界Animalia門Chordata綱Mammalia目Rodentia科Sciuridae属Cynomys
カテゴリ
哺乳類レア度
Common
危険度
1/5 · 非常に低い
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おもしろい事実
They are considered a keystone species because their abandoned burrows provide critical homes for burrowing owls, rabbits, and tiger salamanders.
When giving their signature alarm call, they perform a physical 'jump-yip' where they throw their forepaws into the air and stretch their bodies upright.
White-tailed prairie dogs hibernate for up to seven months of the year, which is significantly longer than their non-hibernating black-tailed relatives.
特殊能力
能力
Deep Torpor Hibernation
To survive the freezing winters of their high-elevation habitats, they enter deep hibernation from late autumn to early spring, dramatically lowering their metabolic rate and relying entirely on stored body fat.
能力
Vocal Warning System
They possess a complex vocal communication network, utilizing unique, high-pitched barks to alert colony members of specific incoming predators, distinguishing between aerial threats like hawks and terrestrial ones like badgers.
能力
Subterranean Engineering
Using strong claws and powerful limbs, they construct elaborate multi-chambered burrow systems with specialized zones for nesting, nursery care, and waste disposal.
サイズと詳細
- 長さ
- 33-40 cm
- 体重
- 0.6-1.7 kg
- 寿命
- 3-7 年
- Top Speed
- 24 km/h
- 一度の産卵数
- 2-8
- 抱卵期間
- 28-30 日
食性と食事
Primarily feeds on a variety of grasses, forbs, and sagebrush, shifting to nutritious seeds and flowers during the late summer to accumulate fat reserves before hibernation.
年齢による違い: Juveniles initially consume soft fresh shoots and grasses before transitioning to the harder seeds and fibrous plants eaten by adults.
主な食物
- Sedge grasses
- Sagebrush
- Saltbush seeds
- Forb leaves
- Dandelion flowers
採餌方法
- Grazing
生態系とのつながり
eaten by
Black-footed ferret
Mustela nigripes
A primary prey item for this endangered specialist predator, which also uses prairie dog burrows for shelter.
eaten by
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
An apex aerial predator that frequently hunts prairie dogs across open shrub-steppes.
competitor
Wyoming Ground Squirrel
Urocitellus elegans
Competes directly for forage and territory in high-elevation grassland borders.
特徴
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別名
まだ別名はありません。
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安全性
危険度
1/5 · 非常に低い
まだ特別な安全上の注意はありません。
よくある質問
White-Tailed Prairie Dogを見分けるには？
White-Tailed Prairie Dogを識別する最も簡単な方法は、Snappit自然識別アプリを使用することです。
White-Tailed Prairie Dogの長さは何ですか？
33-40 cm
White-Tailed Prairie Dogの体重は何ですか？
0.6-1.7 kg
White-Tailed Prairie Dogの寿命は何ですか？
3-7 年
White-Tailed Prairie Dogのtop Speedは何ですか？
24 km/h
White-Tailed Prairie Dogは何を食べますか？
Primarily feeds on a variety of grasses, forbs, and sagebrush, shifting to nutritious seeds and flowers during the late summer to accumulate fat reserves before hibernation.
White-Tailed Prairie Dogは通常どこに生息していますか？
Found in high-altitude shrub-steppes, sagebrush plains, and dry mountain valleys of the western United States.
White-Tailed Prairie Dogはどのように狩りをしますか？
Grazing
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