Mexican prairie dog
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Introduction[edit]
| Mexican prairie dog | |
|---|---|
| |
| Galeana, Nuevo Leon, Mexico | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Sciuridae |
| Genus: | Cynomys |
| Species: | C. mexicanus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cynomys mexicanus Merriam, 1892
| |
The Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) is a diurnal burrowing rodent native to north-central Mexico. Treatment as an agricultural pest has led to its status as an endangered species. They are closely related to squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots. Cynomys mexicanus originated about 230,000 years ago from a peripherally isolated population of the more widespread Cynomys ludovicianus.[3]
Physical Description[edit]
Mexican prairie dogs are one of the largest species in the Cynomys genus just smaller than the black-tailed prairie dogs. Adults range in mass from 300 to 900 grams in the spring, and 500 to 2000 grams in the fall. Their total length ranges from 385 to 440 millimeters. When standing the can reach a height of 30cm. Males are about 15% larger than females. Individuals from the southern areas tend to be larger than those of the northern areas.[4]
Mexican prairie dogs have two distinct coats, one during summer and one with thick underfur during the winter. The distal part of their tail is black, which distinguishes themselves different from other species in the genus. They have blunt noses and small mouse-like ears. They have five digits on each foot, and each digit has a thick, black, curved claw. They also have many black whiskers that can reach 3cm in length.[4]
Ecology[edit]
These prairie dogs prefer to inhabit rock-free soil in plains at an altitude of 1,600–2,200 m (5,200–7,200 ft). They are found in the regions of southern Coahuila and northern San Luis Potosí in northern Mexico, where they eat herbs and grasses native to the plains where they live. They acquire all of their water from these plants. Although mainly herbivores, they have been known to eat insects. Predators include coyotes, bobcats, eagles, hawks, badgers, snakes, and weasels.
Northern prairie dogs hibernate and have a shorter mating season, which generally lasts from January to April. After one month's gestation, females give birth to one litter per year, an average of four hairless pups.[5] They are born with eyes closed and use their tails as visual aids until they can see, about 40 days after birth. Weaning occurs during late May and early June, when yearlings may break away from the burrow. Pups leave their mothers by fall.
As they grow older, young play fighting games that involve biting, hissing, and tackling. They reach sexual maturity after one year, with a lifespan of 3–5 years; adults weigh about 1 kg (2.2 lb) and are 14–17 inches (360–430 mm) long, and males are larger than females. Their coloring is yellowish, with darker ears and a lighter belly.
Prairie dogs have one of the most sophisticated languages in the animal world—a system of high-pitched yips and barks—and can run up to 35 mph (56 km/h). As a consequence, their defense mechanism is to sound the alarm, and then get away quickly.[6]
Habitat[edit]
Mexican prairie dogs live in excavated colonies, referred to as "towns", which they dig for shelter and protection. They create extensive tunnel and burrow systems. [7]A typical town has a funnel-like entrance that slants down into a corridor up to 100 ft (30 m) long, with side chambers for storage and nesting. It has been found that some chambers in these burrows serve specific purposes such as nurseries for new mothers and their young.[8] Prairie dogs have strong muscles in their arms which allow them to dig through the often dense dirt of their habitats. They have even been found to use their teeth to dig, although this is less common.[8] Towns can contain hundreds of animals, but generally have fewer than 50, with a single alpha male. Sometimes, spotted ground squirrels or burrowing owls share the burrow with its rightful owners.
They spend an important amount of their lives in the tunnels. They move seeds into the soil and improve water filtering which leads to the health and rebirth of grasslands. This can also lead to the presence of many other species that live there. [7]
Reproduction[edit]
Mexican prairie dogs are polygynous and commonly form groups of females that reside within their mother's territory resulting in large clans or colonies. Males give out a mating call that resembles an alarm call. Breeding takes place underground so not much is known of copulation behavior.[4]
They reproduce once per year, with litter sizes ranging from 1-6 pups and an average of 4. Gestation lasts 30 days, from early March to early April. Breeding season usually begins at the end of January and can extend into March, lasting about 90 days. Breeding season is longer than other species in the genus due to the climatic conditions of the Mexican Plateau where they are found. Newborns are born pink, hairless and blind. Both genders provide care to their young but they have different responsibilities. Both play with their young, maintain burrows and nest build. Males are responsible for territorial defense. Females nurse young for 40 to 50 days. Juveniles remain underground for 5 to 6 weeks, then they emerge from their burrows.[4]
Population structure[edit]
In 1956, the Mexican prairie dog was reported as occurring in Coahuila, Nuevo León, and San Luis Potosí. By the 1980s, it had disappeared from Nuevo León. As of 1992 its complete range was roughly 600 km2 (230 sq mi).[9] Viewed as a pest and an obstacle to agriculture and cattle raising due to their burrowing and frequent consumption of crops, it was frequently poisoned, and became endangered in 1994. Mexican prairie dogs currently inhabit less than 4% of their former territory and have suffered a 33% decrease in range between 1996 and 1999.[10]
The current habitat of Mexican prairie dogs is in the region known as El Tokio. These are the grasslands located in the convergence of the states of San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León, and Coahuila. Due to the underground structures in which many prairie dogs live, it is difficult to accurately survey populations. The use of satellite imagery has proven to be helpful in documenting areas in which prairie dogs reside. [11]
Conservation groups such as Pronatura Noreste and Profauna, with the help of donors, carry out conservation efforts for the protection of prairie dogs and associated species, such as shorebirds and birds of prey. Pronatura Noreste, as of February 2007, has signed conservation easements with ejidos and private owners for the protection of more than 42,000 acres (170 km2) of Mexican prairie dog grasslands.
Conservation[edit]
The Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) is an endemic mammal that is highly endangered.[7] Humans have played a significant role in the decline of Cynomys mexicanus. Agricultural practices, recreational shooting and soil erosion from cattle herding have all contributed to their declining numbers. Resources are limited due to habitat destruction which also prevents them from recovering. Over the past four decades, 62% of Mexican prairie dogs habitat has been lost due to human impact. Transplantation of individuals from northern areas of Mexico has been suggested to help with conservation. Although recolonization alone will not reverse their endangered status.[4]
Cynomys mexicanus is fully protected by Mexican law, although in only Racho Los Angeles, Coahuila is where protection is being enforced. [4]
Starting in 2014, a conservation effort was put in place to reintroduce Mexican prairie dogs to their natural habitat in the Zacatecas semi-desert, where they already disappeared. The group, known as, Espacios Naturales (Natural Spaces) managed to establish five New Mexican prairie dog colonies in key areas. This effort has improved the general situation for the rodents, but they still remain endangered and it is essential to continue expanding their presence. [7]
References[edit]
- ^ Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T.; Lacher, T.; Vázquez, E. (2019). "Cynomys mexicanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T6089A139607891. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T6089A139607891.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- ^ Gabriela Castellanos-Morales; Niza Gámez; Reyna A. Castillo-Gámez & Luis E. Eguiarte (2016), "Peripatric speciation of an endemic species driven by Pleistocene climate change: The case of the Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus)", Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 94 (Pt A): 171–181, doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2015.08.027, PMID 26343460
- ^ a b c d e f Hardy, Stephanie. "Cynomys mexicanus (Mexican prairie dog)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ Ceballos-G., Gerardo; Wilson, Don E. (1985-12-13). "Cynomys mexicanus". Mammalian Species (248): 1–3. doi:10.2307/3503981. ISSN 0076-3519. JSTOR 3503981.
- ^ Slobodchikoff, C. N., Cognition and Communication in Prairie Dogs (PDF), vol. 32, pp. 257–264
- ^ a b c d "MEXICAN PRAIRIE DOG RECOVERY PROGRAM". ENDESU. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ a b Burns, James A.; Flath, Dennis L.; Clark, Tim W. (1989). "On the Structure and Function of White-Tailed Prairie Dog Burrows". The Great Basin Naturalist. 49 (4): 517–524. ISSN 0017-3614. JSTOR 41712542.
- ^ Ceballos, Gerardo; Mellink, Eric; Hanebury, Louis R. (1993-01-01). "Distribution and conservation status of prairie dogs Cynomys mexicanus and Cynomys ludovicianus in Mexico". Biological Conservation. 63 (2): 105–112. doi:10.1016/0006-3207(93)90497-O. ISSN 0006-3207.
- ^ Scott-Morales, Laura; Estrada, Eduardo; ChÁvez-Ramírez, Felipe; Cotera, Mauricio (2004-12-21). "Continued Decline in Geographic Distribution of the Mexican Prairie Dog (Cynomys mexicanus)". Journal of Mammalogy. 85 (6): 1095–1101. doi:10.1644/BER-107.1. ISSN 0022-2372.
- ^ Sidle, John; Johnson, Douglas; Euliss, Betty; Tooze, Marcus (2002), Monitoring Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Colonies With High-Resolution Satellite Imagery (PDF)
External links[edit]
