It has now been more than a week since I went to Zie-Zoo, and today I thought it was time to tell you a bit more about an animal species that I encountered during my visit there. As you saw in my previous blog about Zie-Zoo, I saw the Prairie Dogs there. And not only did I see them, but they saw me too. We looked straight at each other, and to be honest I'm not sure if the 'love' was mutual. LOL!
Fascinating creatures
In any case, I think they are incredibly cute animals and I also spent quite a bit of time watching them. They are fascinating creatures to observe. There is plenty of life in the colony and therefore plenty to look at when you are there as a visitor. They dig, gnaw and play, but in the meantime they also observe the visitors. They are constantly on the lookout for any danger.
Of course everyone knows that I am a dog lover, so it is logical that I also like the Prairie Dogs. Um, well ... well half then. Prairie dogs are not actually dogs at all. They are actually rodents, ground squirrels. Now the name Prairie Dogs does sound more catchy as Prairie Rodent... that's a fact. But that's not why they're called Prairie Dogs.
Warn each other of danger
The reason they got that name has to do with their enormously complex communication with each other. They can make different types of sounds to warn each other of danger from predators, even having different sounds to signal to each other what type of predator is nearby. And even to indicate whether the danger comes from the air or via the ground. And many of the sounds they produce resemble a dog barking. Very intriguing, and this communication system also shows that they are quite intelligent animals.
Their social behavior in their own colonies also has a similar system as dogs in their packs. Incidentally, prairie dogs are also just as loyal as dogs, and maybe even more loyal, because prairie dogs are monogamous! In fact, if their partner dies, they usually stay close to where the partner is buried.
Not picky when it comes to food
As picky as they are when it comes to their life partner, they are if not picky about their food. They mainly live on grass, but other types of vegetables, small rodents, insects and even small lizards are also on their menu. And in order to eat all grasses and vegetables properly, they have to sharpen their teeth like any rodent. As you know, rodent teeth are always growing, if the teeth get too big, eating becomes quite difficult. That is not what makes a rodent happy, so in addition to a lot of gnawing time per day, Prairie dogs are also so smart that they have found another way to sharpen their teeth. They use stones for this, they wear down their teeth and so the teeth will never get too big, so they always stay in good condition for gnawing on the delicious tough grasses they have on their menu.
In addition to a lot of gnawing time per day, these animals are also very busy digging. They dig whole systems of caves, and these are ingenious with multiple entrances and different rooms. The systems offer the animals protection against predators, but also against extreme weather conditions, and it also gives them the opportunity to make a clean home for themselves. The disadvantage of such a large cave system is that you have to stay in the area, and sometimes you can take a wrong turn. Because that is one thing that a Prairie Dog should be aware of, because they do not have a good sense of direction. If you take a Prairie Dog out of its den and place it 1km away, it will usually not know how to get back to its home and colony.
They can recognize objects and people
That is also one of the few things they are not so good at, because otherwise they are quite intelligent animals that can even recognize and distinguish objects and people. You can even teach them to do more difficult tasks. Nice is not it!
Now I wouldn't do that so quickly, because even without you teaching a Prairie dog fun tricks, they are important enough. They play an important role in the ecology of their living environment.
Important for the ecology
Because of the excellent excavation they do, they help reduce erosion, the soil quality improves through their excavation ... and less fun, but just as important. They are important prey for predators such as Coyotes and Eagles. It's not the nicest way to end your life as a Prairie Dog, certainly not ... but it's important for preserving nature. Although I must admit that I am glad that the animals that stay here in Zie-Zoo will not have to fear such an end. Under the supervision of the visitors who view them, they can spend their days undisturbed digging, gnawing and observing visitors.