Prairie dogs' complex language decoded.

[silverweb]

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]They're talking about us and it's not entirely flattering. (Can you blame them?)

Researcher decodes prairie dog language, discovers they've been talking about us (includes video).

[brewens]

1. My uncle had a ranch in eastern Montana up until he passed away in the mid 80's.

He was a weird rancher, relatively speaking. He loved all animals. It never occured to him to get rid of the large, or maybe it was actually small, prairie dog town on his property. It seemed big to me as a kid and must have gone on for a mile or so. I think that's a joke compared to what we once had in this country.

He let us and kids from town come out and shoot them for sport to keep it down a little. He even had a pair of pet rabbits escape on him once. On the 13 or so mile trip from the highway to his house, you might see antelope, deer, coyotes and rabbits when you knew you were almost there. He let us trim the rabbit population a little too. Those we ate. They really do taste a lot like chicken.

Shortly before he died, a university team, I can't remember where from, set up camera's in the prairie dog town, thinking it might be a likely spot to find black footed ferretts. They didn't, but the prairie dog town they did eventually find them in was only about 150 miles away.

[bahrbearian]

4. In North Dakota my grampa and uncles would encourage us kid to shoot them on the farm

I never liked that idea of killing something so cute, so I never hit one. I also lost a pair of Rex Rabbits, 20 years ago, and now 20 years later their kin still raid my garden, there aren't many Rabbits around here and they are Cotton Tails. They don't do enought damage to cause alarm, but they are fun to spot, like the Ferrell Cats. Damn I hate the Ferrell Cats but I'm not going to kill em.

[Triana]

8. Did you mean "feral cats"? n/t

[Marr]

2. That was really fascinating article and video-- thanks for posting. /nt

[silverweb]

11. My pleasure.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Glad you enjoyed it.

[Ohio Joe]

3. These things creep me out big time... I hate 'em...

There are fields all around here (Aurora) and these things are all over the place. I've seen them do this thing where, as you go by the block long stretch of dirt that is filled with these things holes, there will be a dozen or so all standing up... Some out of their holes and some standing (on two legs) next to the holes... And they will all raising their arms up and down in unison... Very disturbing to see... Like.. A little furry part-people/part-rat thing is worshiping you.

[intheflow]

9. I live about an hour north of Aurora.

They populate the fields around my little town. I bring the dogs out to chase them. Mostly it's like watching a life-sized game of whack-a-mole, but last week my formerly feral dog caught one and ate it! I didn't shed any tears over the incident. As you say, they're kind of creepy little critters.

[raccoon]

5. They are so cute! I wish somebody would write a book about them.

I mean sort of like Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH.

[silverweb]

13. Maybe someone will.

[petronius]

6. I always assumed they were singing:

"We dig dig dig dig dig dig dig in our mine the whole day through.
To dig dig dig dig dig dig dig is what we like to do..."



Very interesting report - thanks for posting!

[silverweb]

12. Maybe they are singing!

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Glad you enjoyed.

[newfie11]

7. As a farm owner I know how distructive prairie dogs are

They are very cute but they can dig an unbelievable bunch of holes in a short time, strip every blade of grass, and devastate fields.

We do allow our friends to target practice with them and so do most ranchers/farmers here.
The state issued a notice last year that they are destroying vast amounts of vegetation and if land owners do not control them they will be fined.

So while they are cute they produce like rats.

[Phillip McCleod]

10. i fucking KNEW IT!!

beware, friends.

they are watching.

THEM and the PIGEONS!