Black-tailed Prairie Dog
Cynomys ludovicianus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderRodentia (Rosegadors)
- FamilySciuridae (Squirrels)
- GenusCynomys (Prairie Dogs)
- SpeciesCynomys ludovicianus (Black-tailed Prairie Dog)
The black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) is a rodent of the family Sciuridae (the squirrels) found in the Great Plains of North America from about the United States–Canada border to the United States–Mexico border. Unlike some other prairie dogs, these animals do not truly hibernate. The black-tailed prairie dog can be seen above ground in midwinter. A black-tailed prairie dog town in Texas was reported to cover 25,000 mi2 (64,000 km2) and included 400,000,000 individuals. Prior to habitat destruction, the species may have been the most abundant prairie dog in central North America. It was one of two prairie dogs described by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the journals and diaries of their expedition. Wikipedia →
90–100% of wildlife watchers report a Black-tailed Prairie Dog sighting in Badlands National Park, based on 571 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Badlands National Park
Least Chipmunk
Tamias minimus
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel
Ictidomys tridecemlineatus
Fox Squirrel
Sciurus niger
Quiller
Erethizon dorsatus
Meadow Vole
Microtus pennsylvanicus
American Beaver
Castor canadensis
Northern Grasshopper Mouse
Onychomys leucogaster
Plains Harvest Mouse
Reithrodontomys montanus
Deer Mouse
Peromyscus maniculatus
Bushy-tailed Wood Rat
Neotoma cinerea
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Badlands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black-tailed Prairie Dog in Badlands National Park?
About 92% of wildlife watchers report a Black-tailed Prairie Dog sighting in Badlands National Park, based on 571 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black-tailed Prairie Dog in Badlands National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Black-tailed Prairie Dog in Badlands National Park in our monthly data.