Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)

Black-tailed Prairie Dog
Cynomys ludovicianus

The Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) occurs from Texas to Canada in the prairies along the eastern front of the Rocky Mountains. The species forms large colonies or "towns" some of which may stretch for miles. The first 7 shots on this page were taken at Fort Niobrara N.W.R., Cherry Co., Nebraska in June, 2001, with a Canon EOS 3 and EF 500 mm F4 IS lens on Fuji Velvia. The animal at the right is sitting near its burrow watching the photographer.

The characteristic black underside of the tail of the species.
Black-tailed Prairie Dog barking a warning to the colony.



The Black-tailed Prairie Dogs in the next three shots were at Lake Arrowhead State Park, Clay Co., Texas, in September, 2006. These are digital images taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender.


The Black-tailed Prairie Dog shown here is keeping a wary eye on the photographer from its burrow on the Pawnee National Grasslands, Weld Co., Colorado, in June, 2007. The image was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 600mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender.
In a scene which may remind us of the way things used to be, Black-tailed Prairie Dogs keep an eye on grazing American Bison on Wichita Mountains N.W.R., Comanche Co., Oklahoma, in April, 2008.
The Black-tailed Prairie Dog shown here was photographed at the same time and place as the image just before. Both these shots were taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 600mm F/4 L IS lens.
The next 25 images of Black-tailed Prairie Dog were taken near Greycliff, Sweet Grass Co., Montana, in August, 2008, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 500mm F/4 L IS lens.


The prairie dog on the right in the next 3 images was grooming itself.













The interactions between two prairie dogs can be great fun to watch.





This young prairie dog was chewing on what appeared to be the jawbone of some small animal, perhaps another prairie dog.
The two Black-tailed Prairie Dogs shown here were peering warily from their burrow near the town on Plains in Yoakum Co., Texas, in January, 2009. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 800mm F/5.6 L IS lens and 1.4X extender.
The next 11 images show Black-tailed Prairie Dogs at Fort Niobrara N.W.R., Cherry Co., Nebraska, in July, 2011.










Black-tailed Prairie Dog Cynomys ludovicianus near Littlefield, Lamb Co., Texas 8 December 2014 Lat 33.862499, Lon -102.24467
Black-tailed Prairie Dog Cynomys ludovicianus near Littlefield, Lamb Co., Texas 8 December 2014 Lat 33.862499, Lon -102.24467
Black-tailed Prairie Dog Cynomys ludovicianus near Littlefield, Lamb Co., Texas 8 December 2014 Lat 33.862499, Lon -102.24467
Black-tailed Prairie Dog Cynomys ludovicianus near Littlefield, Lamb Co., Texas 8 December 2014 Lat 33.862499, Lon -102.24467
Black-tailed Prairie Dog Cynomys ludovicianus near Littlefield, Lamb Co., Texas 8 December 2014 Lat 33.862499, Lon -102.24467
Black-tailed Prairie Dog Cynomys ludovicianus Co. Rd. T, near Higgins, Lipscomb Co., Texas 13 June 2016 Lat 36.2313, Lon -100.0549
Black-tailed Prairie Dog Cynomys ludovicianus Co. Rd. T, near Higgins, Lipscomb Co., Texas 13 June 2016 Lat 36.2313, Lon -100.0549
Black-tailed Prairie Dog Cynomys ludovicianus Texline, Dallam Co., Texasa 16 June 2016
Black-tailed Prairie Dog Cynomys ludovicianus Borger, Hutchinson Co., Texas 1 February 2018