Dog Town, USA

Article by Jan Tysdale-Sisk and Robert L. Sisk

Images by Robert L. Sisk

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A hawk lands on a nearby dead branch and a chorus of alarm signals erupt as everyone dives for safety. It isn’t long before individuals move into view, still alert but back to being busy. Two family members approach each other, touch noses and kiss. A female attempts to groom her young, but wrestling sounds like more fun to the rowdy quartet. Industrious members cooperate in building and digging activities while a lazy neighbor sprawls in the loose dirt to sun himself. A roly–poly bunch digs sparse vegetation, intent on finding a selective snack.

Stopping to view a prairie dog town can be a delightful experience where photo opportunities abound. Huge colonies of prairie dogs were once found all across the American prairies. However, these industrious natives were not compatible with farming and ranching on the Great Plains. Branded a nuisance, their numbers have been greatly reduced. The prairie dog now survives on less than two percent of its historic range and can be enjoyed primarily in protected areas. Many of the remaining colonies are scattered islands in national parks and monuments, and extensive populations still occur on some national grasslands.

Prairie dogs are the engineers of the supermarket used by dozens of prairie species. This key role in maintaining biodiversity provides an important service to the entire grassland ecosystem.

Photographers who seek lessons in the histories, myths and natural history of a place help to foster a deeper understanding of how animals and plants are connected to each other, to habitat and to humans. These visual storytellers promote a greater respect for the inter–relatedness of the natural world. The conflict between the prairie dog and man is an ongoing dilemma.

Black–tailed prairie dogs are the most abundant and widely distributed of the five species of prairie dogs that occur in North America. In a world of tunnels and burrows, they find refuge from the heat, cold and predators on shortgrass and mixed grass prairies. Each burrow, which is marked by a mound at the entrance, houses a basic family unit called a coterie. These small rodents are among the most gregarious and vocal of all mammals. An eager observer will soon discover that they often visit neighboring burrows where they rush to greet each other. Both body language and distinctive calls allow the prairie dogs to adeptly communicate with the entire village.

Prairie dogs aren’t the only creatures that hang out on a prairie dog town. These little plant–eaters help support dozens of flesh–eaters. Coyotes, golden eagles, hawks, an occasional badger or swift fox, rattlesnakes and, traditionally, the now–endangered black–footed ferret all prey on the small rodents. The dogs rely on their keen eyesight and the open prairie to spot predators from long distances. A frightened dog issues short, high–pitched warning barks, and escaping has evolved into a fine art. Abandoned burrows attract cottontail rabbits, ground squirrels, burrowing owls, rattlesnakes, and even toads, salamanders and tree frogs. Bison, pronghorns and a variety of birds are also drawn to the grounds of a prairie dog town.

Persistent burrowing affects the number and types of plants that can thrive on a seemingly–barren village. In general, the digging and scratching activities that mix and aerate the soil tend to increase the number of plant species. Vegetation is actively growing and often highly nutritious. Since close cropping provide a clear view, it increases survival for the prairie dogs.

These colonial borrowers belong to the squirrel family. Fortunate prairie dogs live to be seven or eight years. old. The stout–bodied creatures (averaging fourteen to sixteen inches in length and weighing two to three pounds) are equipped with long, curbed claws adapted for digging. Thanks to large eyes and inconspicuous ears set high on the head, prairie dogs can survey their domain without leaving the safety of a burrow. Fur colors vary in browns with whitish bellies, and the tail has a distinctive black tip. Lewis and Clark referred to the little dogs as barking squirrels in their journals; early settlers may have referred to them as a delight, a nuisance or even as the evening meal. Prairie dogs are portrayed as friendly animal actors in the mythologies of the Native Peoples of the Plains and sometimes the dog is even given the power to lead people to water.

Photographers who exercise caution and common sense can safely enjoy the prairie dog town experience. The sociable mammals readily habituate to new objects, like a parked car or a portable blind. It is important to shoot off a tripod or a beanbag. Only in severe weather conditions do these little guys totally retreat to their burrows. It is almost a guarantee that they will pop out of their burrows every morning to eat. A patient watcher who spends enough time will always be rewarded. To see the world as a prairie dog sees it can be a fascinating adventure.

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