Prairie Dogs
Prairie dogs are not really dogs.  They are cute little rodents that belong to the squirrel family.  They got their name from the warning sound they make, which is somewhat like the bark of a dog.

Lewis and Clark had never before seen a prairie dog, for they live mainly on the prairie land and Great Plains that were "way out west" to Americans in those days.  Clark was amazed by their activity, for the little animals are constantly busy. 

Prairie dogs are prey for many animals, such as coyotes, eagles, and hawks, so at least half of them don't live to be a year old .

They stay near their holes and are always on the alert for enemies.  When one spots danger, it makes a loud "bark," and all the animals then scramble down into their burrows.

Lewis sent a live prairie dog  to President Jefferson with a load of other specimens in April 1805.  The little animal was still alive when it reached Washington, D.C. four months later! 

Prairie dogs live in the ground in burrows (or tunnels), and come out in the daytime to eat.  They live mainly on grass, but will eat other plants and insects.  They grow from 12 to 20 inches long, including the tail, and weigh from one to two pounds.

Prairie dogs live in large colonies, which are often called prairie dog "towns" or "villages."   A colony often contains hundreds of animals.  Clark described one in particular.  "The village of these animals covered about four acres," he wrote.