MARMOTS WOODCHUCK PRAIRIE DOGS

They all belong to the family of squirrel-like rodents.

Many of the terrestrial dwelling animals hibernate during the winter. Marmots and the woodchuck feed frenziedly so as to put on a layer of fat in the autumn for them to survive the winter.

MARMOTS AND WOODCHUCK

There are 12 species of marmot spread across Europe, Asia and North America.

Marmots and Woodchuck are ground-living species. Since they borrow their homes underground they are larger and heavier than other species of the squirrels. They have a shorter tails, about a third of their length of their body and not bushy.

Their legs are shorter and very powerful. They live throughout the northern temperate regions but mostly on mountains and open plains.  Marmots live in colonies of about 50 animals in an enormous burrow system.

The Woodchuck, more commonly known as Groundhog  is mostly living in woodland with thick undergrowth..

PRAIRIE DOGS

Prairie dogs are natives of America in the mid-west. They also burrow underground. Their appearances are similar to the marmots but have slimmer bodies. Their short tail is either white or black tipped and not bushy. Prairie dogs have a very elaborate social system. They live in a family group of several thousand animals in underground towns. It could range over 65 ha.  Entrances and exists are marked by conical mounds of earth. To prevent the borrows from being flooded.

Prairie dogs feed on tall plants in their immediate area and chew them right down. This has another purpose. It increases the vision of their area and is harder for possible predators to hide.

Prairie dogs got their names because when the animal is alarmed it gives out a sound of a bark like a dog