scholarly journals Carrying Capacity of Age-Specific Habitat Zones within Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Colonies: A Baseline Preceding Black-Footed Ferret Reintroduction

1992 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 43-46
Author(s):  
Glenn Plumb
Keyword(s):  
Carrying Capacity ◽  
Foraging Ecology ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Population Demographics ◽  
Mustela Nigripes ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Plant Animal Interactions

Plant-animal interactions vary strongly between habitat zones characterized by the duration of colonization (age-specific) within a black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) town (Cincotta et al. 1984). These interactions largely determine vegetation composition, diet composition and quality, and population demographics of habitat zones. The ecology of the black-tailed prairie dog in Badlands National Park (BNP) has been described by Cincotta et al. (1984) and Sharps and Uresk (1990). Yet, there is still uncertainty about the plant-animal relationships which underpin prairie dog carrying capacity in different habitat zones. Understanding the variability in the ecology of black-tailed prairie dogs between habitat zones of mature towns is fundamental to successful reintroduction of the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) into southwestern South Dakota. The predator-prey relationship between black-tailed prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets is dependent in large part upon density of prey. Additionally, an understanding of black-tailed prairie dog population and foraging ecology will be a required contribution by BNP to the development of a multiple large and small herbivore carrying capacity management model. For the purposes of this proposal, carrying capacity is defined as an estimate of densities of prairie dogs supportable at different levels of forage availability and quality (Hobbs and Swift 1985). Of the habitat zones in an aging prairie dog town, the old-town centers (OTC) and young-town edge (YTE) zones offer the most widely differing habitat characterizations (Cincotta et al. 1984), and should provide the most interesting test of the effect of habitat quality on prairie dog carrying capacity. The objectives of this research are 1) To estimate the carrying capacity of black-tailed prairie dogs in different habitat zones of an aging town, and 2) To understand how vegetation characteristics and prairie dog feeding habits influence the number of black­tailed prairie dogs which can be supported in different habitat zones.

Managing Populations, Diseases, and Landowner Perceptions of Prairie Dogs for Black-Footed Ferret Reintroduction

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
A. M. Aramati Casper ◽  
Dorothy P. Hill ◽  
Melanie K. Rathburn
Keyword(s):  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Agricultural Pests ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Mustela Nigripes ◽  
Ecological Relationships ◽  
Native Grassland ◽  
Specialist Predators

The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) is one of the rarest mammal species in North America. Captive breeding has prevented extinction of this species, but successful reintroduction of ferrets into their native grassland habitat is a complex endeavor. As specialist predators, ferrets depend almost exclusively on prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) for both food and shelter, so successful black-footed ferret reintroduction hinges on maintaining large colonies of prairie dogs. However, prairie dogs are also considered agricultural pests and are often subjected to eradication programs. These eradication programs hamper efforts to reintroduce ferrets and disrupt the valuable ecosystem services prairie dogs provide in their role as both keystone and foundation species. Even when agreements are reached to maintain prairie dog colonies, plague (Yersinia pestis), which infects both prairie dogs and ferrets, can threaten the success of a ferret reintroduction program. We describe the research on the complex ecological relationships and socio-environmental challenges of reintroducing endangered black-footed ferrets, with a focus on the most abundant prairie dog species, the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus).

scholarly journals Observations of Bobcats, Lynx rufus, Hunting Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs, Cynomys ludovicianus, in Western South Dakota

2010 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel S. Licht
Keyword(s):  
South Dakota ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Lynx Rufus ◽  
The Other ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Winter Diet ◽  
Hunting Strategies ◽  
Close Proximity

There is a paucity of scientific literature describing Bobcat (Lynx rufus) hunting strategies. I document 13 observations of Bobcats hunting Black-tailed Prairie Dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in western South Dakota. In all cases the Bobcats stationed themselves next to a prairie dog mound in an attempt to ambush prairie dogs emerging from their burrows. In eight cases the Bobcats successfully captured a prairie dog emerging from the burrow, in one case the Bobcat turned and captured a prairie dog that had walked up behind it, and in the other cases the Bobcats lunged at the burrow openings, but did not capture a prairie dog. There were two variations of the tactic: in some cases Bobcats entered a colony prior to prairie dog emergence and stationed themselves next to a mound, whereas in other cases Bobcats stationed themselves next to a burrow that a prairie dog had just escaped to. One Bobcat appeared to have waited next to the same mound for at least 7.5 hr. Prairie dogs may comprise a large portion of a Bobcat's winter diet in landscapes where prairie dog colonies exist in close proximity to badlands or woody cover.

scholarly journals Catch the wave: prairie dogs assess neighbours’ awareness using contagious displays

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1777) ◽  
pp. 20132153 ◽  
Author(s):  
James F. Hare ◽  
Kevin L. Campbell ◽  
Robert W. Senkiw
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Group Size ◽  
Social Information ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Social Awareness ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Active Probing

The jump–yip display of black-tailed prairie dogs ( Cynomys ludovicianus ) is contagious, spreading through a prairie dog town as ‘the wave’ through a stadium. Because contagious communication in primates serves to assess conspecific social awareness, we investigated whether instigators of jump–yip bouts adjusted their behaviour relative to the response of conspecifics recruited to display bouts. Increased responsiveness of neighbouring town members resulted in bout initiators devoting a significantly greater proportion of time to active foraging. Contagious jump–yips thus function to assess neighbours’ alertness, soliciting social information to assess effective conspecific group size in real time and reveal active probing of conspecific awareness consistent with theory of mind in these group-living rodents.

scholarly journals Social Behavior of Captive Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs (Mammalia, Rodentia) with Changing Numbers of Observers

2011 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. e-25-e-32
Author(s):  
A. Eltorai ◽  
R. Sussman
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Kin Recognition ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Captive Population ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Model Species ◽  
Rich Variety ◽  
The Rich

Social Behavior of Captive Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs (Mammalia, Rodentia) with Changing Numbers of Observers Black-tailed prairie dogs Cynomys ludovicianus (Ord, 1815) are diurnal rodents that live in intricate cities. Their social complexity rivals that of some primates, and, in some respects, resembles the behavior of humans. Due to the rich variety of readily-observable, sophisticated behaviors such as coloniality, infanticide, anti-predator behaviors, "kin recognition", cooperation, conflict, and reproductive success, the black-tailed prairie dog is a wonderful model species for the study of behavior. Using a captive population, we were able to quantify the effects of observation on key social behaviors.

Coyote (Canis latrans) predation of colonial rodents facilitated by Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos)

2021 ◽  
Vol 135 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-123
Author(s):  
Thomas S. Jung
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Canis Latrans ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Scientific Interest ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Aquila Chrysaetos ◽  
Avian Predators ◽  
Large Colony ◽  
Golden Eagles

Interactions between Coyote (Canis latrans) and Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) are complex and likely not yet fully documented or understood. I observed a Coyote prey on a Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) at the edge of a large colony in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan. The prairie dogs were vigilant toward three Golden Eagles circling above, and the Coyote apparently used this to its advantage. As such, the eagles appeared to facilitate the ability of the Coyote to rush in virtually undetected and prey on a prairie dog that was distracted by the avian predators. This observation is of scientific interest because it is another example of the varied interactions between Coyotes and Golden Eagles, which is competitive and includes kleptoparasitism.

The ontogeny of individuality in black-tailed prairie dogs, Cynomys ludovicianus

1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (7) ◽  
pp. 1280-1286 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. J. Loughry ◽  
Andreas Lazari
Keyword(s):  
Time Allocation ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Time Budgets ◽  
Contextual Influences ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Percent Correct ◽  
Allocation Patterns ◽  
Young Of The Year ◽  
Individual Distinctiveness

We examined the ontogeny of individual distinctiveness in time-allocation patterns of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). All adults and yearlings (n = 112) in the study colony were observed in 14 separate samples, beginning in early April and ending in mid-August. Pups (young of the year, n = 105) were observed in the last 11 of these samples, beginning with their first emergence above ground in late May to early June. Discriminability was determined using a Monte Carlo procedure that randomly selected data from 20 individuals; these data were then entered into a discriminant analysis and this procedure was repeated 100 times. The percent correct classification from these runs was averaged to produce a mean discriminability score. We found that (i) overall, individual pups were discriminable at levels three times higher than that expected by chance alone, (ii) pup discriminability declined significantly over the summer and yearlings had lower discriminability scores than did pups, (iii) average discriminability increased from yearlings to adults and adult values were significantly higher than those for pups, (iv) with the exception of mothers (who had the lowest discriminability values of any group tested), all sex and parental groups of older prairie dogs were significantly more discriminable than were pups, (v) distinctiveness among pups did not appear to be a result of differences between litters, and (vi) measures of behavioral bout lengths proved no better at discriminating individuals than time budgets. The results indicate that the ontogeny of individuality in prairie dog time budgets is not a simple linear function and that discriminability may be constrained by a number of contextual influences.

scholarly journals Amphibians and reptiles associated with the prairie dog grasslands ecosystem and surrounding areas at the janos casas grandes complex, Northwestern Chihuahua, México

2008 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgina Santos-Barrera ◽  
Jesús Pacheco ◽  
Gerardo Ceballos
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Chihuahuan Desert ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Casas Grandes ◽  
Combined System ◽  
Conservation Concern ◽  
Surrounding Areas

Prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) are considered a keystone species that forms extensive colonies in the grasslands of western and central North America. These colonies are characterized byhigh diversity of associated vertebrates. The largest colonies in North America are located in the Janos region, northwestern Chihuahua, Mexico. In this study we present an inventory of the amphibians and reptiles inhabiting at prairie dog grasslands and surrounding mesquite scrublands in the Janos region. Methods to assess the herpetofauna included the use of a combined system of pitfall traps and visual encounter surveys (VES). We found 9 species of amphibians and 35 of reptiles. Of these species, 28 were closely related to prairie dog colonies, and 18 were exclusively recorded in this habitat. Additionally, 13 species were restricted to the mesquite scrubland. The Janos amphibian and reptile communities are of conservation concern, because 16 of the included species (1 amphibian and 15 reptiles) are considered at some risk of extinction. The diversity of amphibians and reptiles in the Janos region is clearly high in comparison with other grasslands. Our results strongly support the assumption that prairie dog grasslands are important for maintaining the mammal and avian diversity in the ecosystems of the Chihuahuan desert.

scholarly journals Changes in Vegetation Associated with the Removal of Prairie Dogs

1989 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 161-163
Author(s):  
Barry Bennett ◽  
Jane Bock
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
National Park ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Vegetation Changes ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Total Acreage

From 1938 to 1982 the total acreage of Black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) towns in Wind Cave National Park increased from 290 to 750 ha. In 1982 a management plan was introduced that reduced the area covered by prairie dog towns to 290 acres. The objective of this study is to monitor vegetation changes that occur following the removal of prairie dogs. These data will prove useful in developing management plans for the removed prairie dog towns and also provide useful data on the vegetation and seed bank composition on the Wind Cave National Park grasslands.

scholarly journals Rarely Observed Behaviors and Occurrences of Black-footed Ferrets Preconditioning for Wild Release 2014–2017

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 241-249
Author(s):  
Tyler N. Tretten
Keyword(s):  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Intermediate Step ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Mustela Nigripes ◽  
Crotalus Viridis ◽  
Captive Breeding Program ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Endangered Status

Abstract Black-footed ferrets Mustela nigripes became extinct in the wild in 1987 when the last known wild animals were removed from a remnant population in an attempt to save the species by beginning a captive breeding program. Breeding efforts were successful, and since 1991 wildlife managers have annually released ferrets back into the wild at sites within the ferrets' historic range. Before their release into the wild, ferrets undergo a preconditioning stage in a quasi-natural habitat which better prepares them for life in the wild after a captive upbringing. Due to their nocturnal, fossorial, and largely solitary lifestyle, combined with their expansive habitat and endangered status, there are undoubtedly a multitude of behaviors ferrets exhibit that are not commonly observed. Here I detail multiple aspects of rarely described black-footed ferret ecology including black-tailed prairie dog Cynomys ludovicianus hunting stratagems, interactions with prairie rattlesnakes Crotalus viridis viridis, predation on birds, and sudden unexplained deaths of entire ferret family groups. The preconditioning setting that serves as an intermediate step between a captive and wild life for captive-reared ferrets allows for wildlife managers to witness ferret behaviors, though similar situations conceivably occur somewhat regularly in the wild.

scholarly journals Estimating Population Densities of Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs

1994 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 31-34
Author(s):  
Kieth Severson ◽  
Glenn Plumb
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Population Estimates ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Usda Forest Service ◽  
Mark Recapture ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Park Service

The recent black-footed ferret reintroduction into the Conata Basin area of west­central South Dakota has prompted managers of USDA Forest Service, Buffalo Gap National Grasslands and National Park Service, Badlands National Park, to reassess methods of determining population size of black-tailed prairie dogs Cynomys ludovicianus. Most agencies are currently relying on a protocol developed by Biggins et al. (1993) to assess black-footed ferret habitat, a section of which deals with prey abundance. The protocol is based on population estimates derived from counting the number of active burrows. The justification for this was a set of unpublished data that reported fair and good relationships between counts of active burrows and black- and white-tailed prairie dogs C. leucurus, respectively (Biggins et al. 1993). While there is no other correlative information relative to active burrows, Powell et al. (1994) suggested that counts of active burrows alone may not be a reliable indicator of black-tailed prairie dog populations. Menkens et al. (1988) examined relationships between populations determined by mark-recapture and total burrow counts. They reported that white­tailed prairie dog density was not significantly related to burrow density and was not a useful predictor of population density. However, Fagerstone and Biggins (1986) and Menkens et al. (1990) reported high correlation coefficients when comparing visual counts of white-tailed prairie dogs with mark-recapture densities. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among population estimates from mark-recapture techniques with visual counts, active burrow counts, and total burrow counts derived by ground and aerial surveys all within the same experimental design.

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