Early settlers crossing the prairies of the midwestern United States apparently thought the sharp yelping sounds prairie dogs make could only come from an animal related to dogs and so gave them this name. The way they wagged their tails when calling one another also seemed to resemble dogs, but prairie dogs are not really dogs and are part of the chipmunk and squirrel families.
At that time there were great numbers of them, but many farmers and ranchers considered them a nuisance. Over the years these little animals would have completely disappeared if naturalists hadn't insisted on protecting some. Today they are kept in controlled areas in the midwestern and southern parts of the United States.
For the most part, these cute little animals live together in a friendly way, gathering food and taking care of their little ones. They live in large colonies marked by low mounds of bare dirt and sand that have been excavated from their burrows. Groups of half a dozen or more sit upright on their mounds, exchanging meaningful barks in a friendly way. Sometimes just two or three will chat in short pleasant barks, but at other times there may be fifteen or twenty having a social discussion.
But these “mound sitters” actually are sentries standing guard, for they are aware there may be large birds, snakes and animals wanting to sneak up on them. Certain ones of each group take turns watching for danger. If a sentry gives sudden sharp barks, they all dive inside their individual tunnels until the danger is past.
It is amazing how they find enough food on the hot prairies—mostly dried grasses and other vegetation, but they seem to keep quite healthy. When food is plentiful, they eat their fill and then pick out a good spot to take a nap or just watch the others. It's very unusual to find them quarreling among themselves. A visitor to one of these colonies told how one prairie dog bounded over to the entrance of another and with a friendly bark brought out a companion to keep him company. On another occasion, two of them met between their burrows, bowed politely to each other, then stood straight up with forepaws touching each other, and suddenly touched their mouths together as if kissing.
Do you think the Creator cares about these cute, little creatures so far out on the prairie lands? He certainly does. As the opening Bible verse tells us, He is the One who has made them. We are also told elsewhere: “O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving-kindness, O God!” (Psalm 36:6-76Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast. 7How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. (Psalm 36:6‑7)). Have you ever thanked Him for His loving-kindness to you?
ML-07/20/2008