Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

Black-Tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)

Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae

Listing Status:   

General Information

Prairie dogs are small, stout ground squirrels. The total length of an adult black-tailed prairie dog is approximately 14-17 inches. The weight of an individual ranges from 1 to 3 pounds. Individual appearances within the species vary in mixed colors of brown, black, gray, and white. The black-tipped tail is characteristic (Hoogland 1995). Black-tailed prairie dogs are diurnal, burrowing animals. They do not hibernate as do white-tailed, Gunnison, and Utah prairie dogs (Hoogland 1995, Tileston and Lechleitner 1966). The black-footed ferret, swift fox , mountain plover, ferruginous hawk, burrowing owl , and number other species are dependent upon prairie dogs to varying degrees.

Lead Region:  Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6)

» Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents (Showing 5 of 13 : view all)
Date Citation Page Title
12/02/2008 73 FR 73211 73219 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List the Black-tailed Prairie Dog as Threatened or Endangered
05/11/2005 70 FR 24869 24934 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Review of Native Species That Are Candidates or Proposed for Listing as Endangered or Threatened; Annual Notice of Findings on Resubmitted Petitions; Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions; Proposed Rule
08/18/2004 69 FR 51217 51226 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Finding for the Resbumitted Petition to List the Black-tailed Praire Dog as Threatened
08/18/2004 69 FR 51217 51226 Finding for the Resubmitted Petition To List the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog as Threatened
08/11/2004 69 FR 29121 29121 Review of Species That Are Candidates or Proposed for Listing as Endangered or Threatened; Annual Notice of Findings on Resubmitted Petitions; Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions; Correction

» Conservation Plans

Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP) (learn more) (Showing 1 of 1 )
HCP Plan Summaries
Malpai Borderlands

» Petitions

Most Recent Petition Findings (Showing 3 of 3 )
Date Citation Page Title Finding
12/02/2008 73 FR 73211 73219 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List the Black-tailed Prairie Dog as Threatened or Endangered
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Substantial
    • 02/04/2000 65 FR 5476 5488 12-Month Finding for a Petition To List the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog as Threatened
  • Notice 12 month petition finding, Warranted but precluded
    • 03/25/1999 64 FR 14424 14428 ETWP; 90-day Finding for a Petition To List the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog as Threatened
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Substantial

    • » Life History

    No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.

    » Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

    Last updated: November 22, 2009