It can’t be an easy life for these guys. Humans view them as pests and they are a constant target for other wildlife including coyotes, badgers and raptors. This particular one was in a burrow right by my truck and once I pointed the camera at it, it laid low, apparently trying to be inconspicuous.

While I am oftentimes dismissive of these creatures, I do recognize the significant role they play in the ecosystem. They are a keystone species, so important to many other creatures.

Prairie Dog pair keeping watch. I see so many of these on my photo trips that I usually just ignore them. That isn’t always easy given how loudly they ‘bark’ when they feel like they are being threatened. 😉

Anyway, today I was out for a walk and crossing through a colony and the cacophony of noise demanded my attention. All were quite focused on alerting each other about the guy with the camera so I snapped a few images of them, including these two as they peered out from their burrow.

While I am oftentimes dismissive of these creatures, I do recognize the significant role they play in the ecosystem. They are a keystone species, so important to many other creatures.

It can’t be easy being one of these creatures on the Great Plains. Threats abound as they are a food source for a wide variety of predators from eagles and hawks to fox and coyote. Man is an additional threat in many areas as Prairie Dogs are viewed as pests and can carry the plague. They are however a keystone species in many locations and critical to the overall health of the ecosystem.

Not only do many other species rely on them as food but others use their burrows for dens and nests. This particular Black-tailed Prairie Dog was up soon before sunrise recently, seeming to scout the immediate area to ensure it was safe for the rest of the colony to come out.

We are all familiar with the bigger barking dogs in our neighborhoods. These guys prefer much less crowded environs but can be just as noisy when you intrude on their homes. Prairie Dogs are quite common here on the plains of Colorado and I usually completely ignore them. However, after having what was a less than successful photo day one day last week, I was desperate to capture pictures of something – anything. This little guy provided a good opportunity and I have to admit, it was kind of cute.