Greetings friends and welcome to this week’s blog post. September has been very comfortable so far, the mild temperatures are awesome for a great walk in the park. While walking through Timbavati Wildlife Park you’ll no doubt encounter our brand new Prairie Dog Encounter. It’s at the very front of our Interaction Area. Today we will take a look at our new little fuzzy friends the prairie dog.
For starters prairie dogs are not part of the canine family. They are actually a rodent, think really big squirrel. They were called dogs because of the little barking noises that they make. They come mostly from the Great Plains in the United States and can withstand everything from a midwest winter to a Texas heatwave. That’s built to last. It’s always cooler in winter and warmer in the summer when you’re underground.
As you can see from this week’s video prairie dog video, they are expert tunnel makers. They burrow as a way of life. Prairie dogs also like in what are called “towns.” A prairie dog town is a large collection of prairie dog families. A prairie dog family is called a coterie or a clan. You need multiple clans to make up a town. A prairie dog town can have upwards of 10,000 prairie dogs in it.
As you can also see from this week’s video prairie dogs post a lookout. This lookout will bark if something looks out of place. They also clear tall plants from their burrows so that they can see predators approaching.
Timbavati Wildlife Park is home to a lot of really cool animals and the prairie dog has been an awesome addition to our 2019 lineup. We’re open 7 days a week and can handle everything from corporate events to field trips. Visit our website for more animal facts and fun. Thanks and we’ll see you all in the park.
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