Prairie dogs, members of the genus Cynomys, belong to the squirrel family of the order Rodentia. There are five species of prairie dogs found on North American plains and plateaus from southern Saskatchewan, Canada to northern Mexico: Utah (C. parridens), Gunnison's (C. gunnisoni), white-tailed (C. leucurus), black-tailed (C. ludovicianus ), and Mexican (C. mexicanus).

The explorer Meriwether Lewis, explorer of the American West, described prairie dogs as barking squirrels, which "bark at you as you approach them, their note being much like that of little toy dogs." These barking calls, including barks, chirps, and whistles, are used to communicate greetings, social status, and approaching or retreating danger.

Prairie dogs as social animals live in colonies, or "towns," which consist of extensive and complex underground burrows one to five meters deep. Cone-shaped mounds at the entrance of the burrows are used as look-out points; they also prevent water...