Prairie Dog - Species at Risk - Lewis and Clark

"[J]ust above the entrance of Teapot creek on the star'd side there is a large assemblage of the burrows of the Barking Squirrel." -- Meriwether Lewis

The abundant black-tailed prairie dogs and their lives underground fascinated Lewis and Clark. Whistling from their sentry posts at the burrow mouths, the animals seemed to call to the explorers. Clark caught one by pouring water into its tunnel. Lewis dug ten feet down into a burrow but still didn't reach the bottom.

The explorers made the first scientific observations of the prairie dogs, which they called "barking squirrels." They noted the animals as they first entered South Dakota and commented on their behavior, from the warning cries that were like those of "little toy dogs" to their habit of living in small family groups within a larger colony.

Lewis was so charmed by the prairie dog that he shipped a live one to President Jefferson. The animal survived the four-month journey from North Dakota to Washington, D.C., by barge and ship, and Jefferson got to see firsthand the "barking squirrel" of the plains.

To help preserve the black-tailed prairie dog, the Sierra Club is working to:

Establish prairie-dog reserves on national grasslands. These wildlands, rich with native grasses, would form a solid base for the recovery of the prairie dog and many associated species, including the black-footed ferret and the burrowing owl.

Halt federally subsidized prairie-dog poisoning and convince states to integrate prairie dogs into wildlife-management plans rather than treating them as vermin.

Put limits on the unregulated sport shooting of prairie dogs by creating license quotas, bag limits, and hunting seasons. In areas like the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, shooting is still rampant.