North American Bison & Black Tailed Prairie Dog Exhibit

Black-Tailed Prairie Dog – Cynomys Ludovicianus

Habitat: Prairie dogs can be found in the Great Plains area of the central United States. They live in a series of underground burrows.  The burrows are an interconnected series of tunnels and chambers, consisting of several different rooms and more than one entrance.

Adaptations: Prairie dogs are territorial. Group members announce the boundaries of their territory by rearing up on their hind legs, pointing their heads skyward, and giving a series of distinctive barks. The prairie dog maintains its social structure with a ritual of kisses.

Diet: Grasses and other plants, including crops such as alfalfa and corn.

Fun Fact: Despite their name, prairie dogs aren’t dogs – they are squirrels. Their name comes from the barking noise that they make to warn one another of danger.

North American Bison – Bison Bison

Habitat: Historically, bison were found from Alaska southward to northern Mexico. Today, they occupy a patchy distribution on public and private lands on the prairies of western North America.

Adaptations: Bison are approximately six feet tall, up to 11 feet long, and weigh over 2,000 pounds, making them the largest land animal in the western hemisphere. The shaggy, brownish-black fur is shed in the summer, revealing a shorter coat underneath. The large hump on the back is used to support the massive head, which in turn is used to clear snow away from hidden grasses.