Gunnison's prairie dogs are 12 to 14 inches (30 to 37 centimeters) in length and have tails that measure 1.25 to 2.25 inches (3 to 6 centimeters).
Gunnison's prairie dogs are threatened by shootings, plague cycles, and poisoning. 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". Gunnison's prairie dog overall range, Colorado. From May 2000 to October 2001, we investigated 270 colonies of Gunnison's prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) in Arizona.
Gunnison’s prairie dogs have declined by more than 90% across their range due to habitat loss, extermination attempts, and disease.
Overlap in the ranges of the species is so small that location can be used to identify species. Hunting greatly influenced the decline of Gunnison's prairie dog populations, and only in Arizona in 2001, hunters shot 91,000 animals. Gunnison’s Prairie Dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) Species Status Statement. Gunnison's prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) Species Description: The Gunnison's prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) is a yellowish buff color mixed with black above; slightly paler below with a short, white-tipped tail.It is approximately 12-14 inches in length, between 12-15 inches tall, weighing about 23–42 ounces.
While the historic range for this species includes large portions of these states, it is now primarily restricted to the Four Corners region. Gunnison's prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) is one of five species of the prairie dog. Gunnison's prairie dogs are primarily distributed in the Four Corners regio This species belongs to the squirrel family of rodents, and are predominantly related to the North American and Eurasian ground squirrels. Gunnison’s prairie dogs live in family groups called clans, organized into colonies with their neighbors.
This information was derived from field personnel. Distribution Gunnison’s prairie dogs occur in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona.
Jan 21, 2011 (Last modified Oct 5, 2011) Uploaded by Conservation Biology Institute. The Gunnison’s prairie dog is a keystone grassland species that historically inhabited this area and re-establishing a colony on the refuge is another step towards restoring the natural biological diversity of refuge grasslands. Gunnison's Prairie Dog range Description. Prairie dog (Cynomys spp.) populations have been reduced by 98% compared to historical levels because of widespread poisoning, habitat loss, recreational shooting, and outbreaks of sylvatic plague (Yersinia pestis).
For example, specialized alarm calls can distinguish different predators.
The historic range of the black-tailed prairie dog extended to the east, north, and south of the combined ranges of the white-tailed, Gunnison’s, and Utah prairie dogs (Hoogland 2006a). Most (70%) of the colonies became inactive between the initial and recent surveys, with colony extinctions spanning our study area.
On average, males are larger in size than females.
This species weighs from 1.5 to 2.5 lbs (0.5 to 1 kg). PRAIRIE DOG COMMUNITY The Gunnison’s prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) inhabits the sagebrush and grassland environment of Curecanti, living in colonies which are loosely organized into clans called coteries.
Communication in the colony.
The name was in use at least as early as 1774. Gunnison’s prairie dog habitat. PDF | On Feb 1, 1987, Linda S. Rayor and others published Hibernation in the Gunnison's Prairie Dog | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate This dataset portrays an area which encompasses all known seasonal activity areas within the range of a population of Gunnison prairie dog. Because these colonies were classified as active in previous surveys (1987, 1990-1994, 1998), we were able to examine their persistence.
Prairie dogs are named for their habitat and warning call, which sounds similar to a dog's bark. As highly social members of the squirrel family, they have a well developed communication system.