White-tailed prairie dog on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge 02 (14617135225)

Description:

Description: The white-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys leucurus) is found in western Wyoming, western Colorado, and small areas in eastern Utah and southern Montana. The largest populations are in Wyoming where they are known colloquially as "chiselers". White-tailed prairie dogs are colonial but not as social as black-tailed prairie dogs. The "towns" are much more difficult to identify than black-tailed prairie dog towns due to the taller shrub steppe vegetation. White-tailed prairie dogs normally hibernate. Adults become inactive in August-September and juveniles start hibernation in October-November. They emerge from hibernation in late February-early March. This prairie dog species lives at an elevation between 5,000 and 10,000 feet, generally a higher elevation than other prairie dog species. They are common on Seedskadee NWR and the surrounding landscape. Photo: Tom Koerner/USFWS. Date: 10 June 2014, 09:37. Source: White-tailed prairie dog on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge 02. Author: USFWS Mountain-Prairie.