Prairie Dogs Narrative Writing

1. When does a "dog" look like a squirrel and live underground? When it is a prairie dog!
2. Prairie dogs are not the kind of dogs that people keep as pets. They are a kind of rodent, a group of animals that includes mice and squirrels.
3. These animals live in prairies, which are large, flat, grassy fields. Prairies stretch across a large area of North America.
4. Prairie dogs live in long tunnels, or burrows, that they dig underground. Many prairie dogs live together in "colonies." Some colonies get so large that people call them "towns." The largest prairie dog town was about the size of West Virginia.
5. Prairie dogs are about a foot tall and weigh almost four pounds. Their fur is fairly short and can be yellow, red, or brown.
6. Prairie dogs and pet dogs do have an interesting trait in common. They both bark! Prairie dogs make many kinds of barking sounds. Each sound has a different meaning. For example, a prairie dog may bark a certain way to warn others if danger is nearby.
7. In the cold of winter, when food is hard to find, prairie dogs may stay in their burrows all the time. In warm months, it is usually easy to see prairie dogs. Like many animals, they like to be outside during the day. They spend most mornings and afternoons looking for food.
8. For a prairie dog, grass, leaves, and plant roots are a delicious treat. Sometimes prairie dogs eat farm crops or food for cows or horses. Many farmers become angry about this.
9. Prairie dogs have a troubled history with farmers and ranchers. Beyond eating crops, they will also cut down vegetation to maintain a view of their area and they will eat the same grasses that would otherwise be available for cattle and horses.
10. However, prairie dogs can also help the natural landscape. The prairie dog is an important part of the prairie ecosystem. Prairie dogs' digging brings air into the soil, which can allow for more water to go deeper into the soil. Their waste is also rich in a gas called nitrogen, which improves the quality of the soil and vegetation. The prairie dog also supports a wide variety of species in another way. Foxes, coyotes, weasels, snakes, hawks, eagles, and the endangered black-footed ferret are some of the many predators that rely on prairie dogs for food.
11. If it looks like a squirrel and barks like a dog, it can be only one thing. It is a prairie dog!