An unusual pet: an animal of the squirrel family. Herbivorous prairie dogs turned out to be serial killers
The steppes that cover the entire central part of North America are called prairies. For a long time, the prairies were considered vast, lifeless territories, and only at the end of the last century did American colonists discover that this land was fertile and the fauna was rich and diverse. Thus began the development of the prairie, most of which has now turned into farms and cattle ranches.
The most numerous inhabitants of the prairies are prairie dogs - relatives of squirrels. Warning each other about danger, these rodents make barking sounds, for which they got their name. They live in large colonies, digging complex burrows up to 5 m deep underground. Several colonies form an underground city, the population of which could previously reach tens of millions of individuals. And the total number of prairie dogs on the prairies exceeded the entire population of our planet. So many small rodents ate a lot of grass, and farmers began to destroy prairie dogs, believing that they were harming crops. In a short time, only a few million of these animals remained throughout North America. In fact, prairie dogs provide great benefits - by loosening the soil, they promote better grass growth and diversity. These rodents play an important role in the ecosystem as a whole: the existence of many other animal species depends on them.
In steppe conditions, where there is nowhere to hide from predators or bad weather, prairie dog burrows serve as shelter, and sometimes permanent homes, for many species of animals. And these rodents themselves are the main food for a number of predators: badgers, black-footed ferrets, coyotes, Mexican falcons, hawks, rabbit owls, rattlesnakes. The destruction of prairie dogs led to a decline in the numbers of other animals.
Black-footed ferrets, agile predators that prey primarily on these rodents, suffered the most from the destruction of prairie dogs. For a long time, ferrets were considered completely extinct, but recently a small colony of these predators was discovered. Thanks to the efforts of scientists, they were preserved and reproduced in captivity. Now black-footed ferrets are returning to the prairies.
Coyotes- meadow wolves - live and hunt in packs. Coyotes feed not only on prairie dogs, but also on hares, badgers, birds such as prairie grouse, and carrion. Unlike wolves, they are easily tamed and can serve a person instead of a dog.
In the burrows of prairie dogs, uninvited neighbors may appear - rattlesnakes. They are called rattlers because at the end of their tail they have a rattle, or rattle, consisting of horny plates. The snake scares away enemies by shaking a rattle that makes a loud sound. These venomous snakes feed on rabbits, birds and bird eggs, and rodents, including prairie dogs. Therefore, if prairie dogs smell a snake in one of their passages, they will try to fence off this tunnel from the rest of the property.
Small rabbit owls breed in abandoned prairie dog burrows. Unlike other owls, rabbit owls can hunt not only at night, but also during the daytime. They are the longest-legged of all owls and move by hopping. These birds stand in columns at the entrance to their burrow and look out for prey.
Just like prairie dogs, armadillos also live in burrows. The nine-banded armadillo is the only type of armadillo found in North America. It hunts insects, amphibians, and reptiles at night, and feasts on fruits and seeds of plants. V armadillo's body and tail are covered with a shell consisting of separate stripes and scutes, which allows it to curl up into a ball in case of danger.
Once upon a time, huge herds of wild bulls, bison and pronghorn inhabited the prairies of North America. The indigenous people - the Indians - hunted them. Animal meat was used for food, clothing was made from skins, sinews were used instead of threads and as a bowstring for farts, tools were made from bones, skins were pulled over the bones of the spine and sleds were made from them - nothing was wasted. But everything changed with the advent of Europeans, who competed among themselves to see who could kill the most bison. Hundreds of these animals were shot not for food, but for fun, leaving unnecessary carcasses to rot in the steppe. Bison and pronghorn are on the brink of extinction. Now these animals are under protection, their numbers are gradually increasing, but they are found mainly in nature reserves. Since wolves were destroyed on the prairies, bison and pronghorn have no natural enemies in nature.
This is a separate family of artiodactyls. They got their name because of their forked horns. Pronghorns gather in large herds, and during the breeding season, the herds break up into separate groups: a male and several females. Pronghorns are excellent runners, capable of reaching speeds of up to 95 km/h.
Large herbivores are not the only ones affected by human activity. Meadow and steppe grouse, as well as wild turkeys, became easy prey. Wild turkeys are significantly larger than grouse. These large birds rarely fly, preferring to move on the ground.
Huge herds of bison left traces of their presence on the Great Plains - “buffalo pits”. In the summer heat, bison rolled in the mud to cool down and protect their bodies from insects. Small pits were formed, which were deepened and expanded by several generations of bulls. When it rains, these holes fill with water, providing shelter for the large number of waterfowl that visit the Great Plains each year, migrating from south to north. “Buffalo pits,” ditches and swamps on the prairies are the temporary habitat of brown pelicans, Canada geese, wild ducks and geese.
Cute prairie dogs are found only in North America and in some areas of Mexico. It is from the squirrel family. They live in friendly communities on plains, mountain meadows and semi-deserts.
Outwardly, they look like gophers and marmots. Approximately the same body - 30-35 cm long, short legs and tail. Weight - from 800 g to one and a half kilograms, with males larger and heavier than females by 10%.
These animals do not settle anywhere in vain, but choose flat and open spaces in order to see unexpected human guests or predators from afar. In the recent past, North American Indians hunted these harmless animals just for fun.
The home of prairie dogs is a complex system of burrows and numerous passages. The animals surround the main entrance with a mound of earth, which they carefully compact with their noses. Such a high hill protects the home from flooding during rains, and also serves as an observation point from where it is easy to spot the enemy. But every “firefighter” prairie dogs break through several emergency passages.
The central entrance to the underground dwelling has many branches. Each room is neatly lined with grass and serves a different purpose. There are rooms for storing food, a “nursery” for mommy and babies, a bedroom, and even a toilet! Everything is the same as ours. But prairie dogs don’t like to live in their chambers for long: they constantly dig new apartments and tightly wall up old ones.
They were called dogs because they make piercing and sharp sounds, similar to a dog barking. These sounds are accompanied by light blows of the tail and, as a rule, are made at a moment of danger. Hearing a barking alarm signal, relatives immediately prepare to meet the enemy.
A special signal warns everyone about the appearance of an eagle or a hawk; then the animals quickly hide in holes. Another signal indicates the appearance of a stranger on their territory. The third is that the danger has passed.
Column stand
Column stand
When giving signals, prairie dogs stand on their hind legs and straighten up sharply.
Their life is in full swing both on the surface of the earth and under it. Their large colonies resemble a real city. An animal community consists of family units and all family members recognize relatives from a distance, and when they meet, they touch each other with their noses or teeth. This is a special sign of greeting that is similar to a kiss.
"Kiss"
"Kiss" Each family occupies a certain territory and does not allow other tribesmen there. They all have their own responsibilities, which are strictly distributed: some are guarding, some are digging minks, and some are storing food.
They feed mainly on plants, but do not refuse insects. They can go without water for a long time. They live no more than 10-12 years.
It happens that toads, newts, and mice move into their homes. But there are no clashes between the owners and uninvited guests. Prairie dogs leave their old holes and go to other places where they set up a new underground town. They only fight with owls, which eat their young. At this point, contractions cannot be avoided, but this happens very rarely.
Once upon a time, prairie dog colonies numbered up to four hundred million animals and occupied a huge area. Nowadays, their number has sharply decreased. And now they live in special territories under state protection.
- February 19, 2013 A person who loves our little brothers will )
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