Daily Zoo Animal: #9, Prairie Dog.

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Prairie dog Cynomys sp.

Prairie dogs, like many rodents, were long considered to be useless pests, destroying forage and making western ranch land dangerous for livestock. More modern ecological thinking is that they are important part of the North American grassland ecosystem, turning and fertilizing the soil with their extensive burrows. Conflicts over whether prairie dogs should be controlled (with poison and hunting) or protected are current. Supporters of protection point to the black-footed ferret, one of the continent's most endangered mammals, which depends on healthy prairie dog colonies for its survival.

A dozen prairie dogs live on exhibit in the Children's Zoo at Franklin Park Zoo.

(In my icon is another large burrowing North American rodent, the Northeastern marmot or woodchuck--or groundhog, or whistle pig.)

On this day in 365 Urban Species: Mugwort and burdock, a weedy field day for the herbal medicine enthusiasts!