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Prairie Dogs Trivia Quiz

Good luck on this quizzie about the Prairie Dog!

A multiple-choice quiz by catnippin. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
catnippin

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
64,727

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1992

Last 3 plays: Guest 187 (3/10), Guest 108 (2/10), Guest 108 (4/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Prairie dogs are the most social members of the Sciuridae family. To which of the following are they NOT closely related? Hint

opossum

marmot

squirrel

chipmunk

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Question 2 of 10

2. How many species of prairie dogs are there in North America? Hint

three

six

four

five

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Question 3 of 10

3. What is the geographical range of the prairie dog? Hint

Northeastern US

Western US

Southeastern US

Eastern Canada

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Question 4 of 10

4. How many teeth do these robust rodents have? Hint

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Question 5 of 10

5. What kind of a sound do prairie dogs make? Hint

a low-pitched, chattering call

a high-pitched, bark-like call

they don't make any sound

a throaty, growling sound

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Question 6 of 10

6. Prairie dogs live in burrows they have dug. What are these burrows known as? Hint

towns

cities

villages

hamlets

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Question 7 of 10

7. How much does a prairie dog weigh? Hint

5 to 10 pounds

3 to 5 pounds

1.5 to 3 pounds

4.5 to 8 pounds

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Question 8 of 10

8. The gestation period for prairie dogs is 28 to 32 days. How many litters does a female have each year? Hint

two

one

three

four

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Question 9 of 10

9. Prairie dogs are very susceptable to a flea-borne disease. What disease is this? Hint

bubonic plague

Lyme disease

rabies

dermatitis

10. Prairie dog colonies went through decades of eradication from disease, poisoning, recreational shooting, and habitat destruction. More prairie dogs have been exterminated than remain. What percent of their former range do they now inhabit? Hint

50 percent

10 percent

2 percent

25 percent

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Most Recent Scores

Apr 17 2024 : Guest 187: 3/10
Apr 11 2024 : Guest 108: 2/10
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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Prairie dogs are the most social members of the Sciuridae family. To which of the following are they NOT closely related?

Answer: opossum

They belong to the squirrel family, under the order rodentia.

2. How many species of prairie dogs are there in North America?

Answer: five

There are five species in the genus Cynomys: Black-tailed, White-tailed, Gunnison's, Mexican, and Utah Prairie Dogs.

3. What is the geographical range of the prairie dog?

Answer: Western US

Their range is throughout most of the Western US, from Canada to Mexico, including the states of Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, and the Dakotas.

4. How many teeth do these robust rodents have?

Answer: 22

They have 22 teeth. Prairie dogs eat the various native plants of the Great Plains of the US - grasses, roots, weeds, forbs, and blossoms. Sometimes they eat insects, but are basically vegetarians.

5. What kind of a sound do prairie dogs make?

Answer: a high-pitched, bark-like call

Prairie dogs have one of the most sophisticated languages. Their high-pitched, 2-syllable bark is used to 'raise the alarm' when predators approach, and sounds different depending on the predator. The warning call is issued at about 40 per minute, as the prairie dog bobs up and down in excitement! Their predators include hawks, owls, eagles, coyotes, badgers, ferrets, and snakes.

6. Prairie dogs live in burrows they have dug. What are these burrows known as?

Answer: towns

The burrows are well-constructed and often reinforced with a dike because of possible flooding from sudden rains. The entrances are funnel-shaped and about 3 to 4 inches in diameter. The tunnels slant steeply for 15 or 16 feet before leveling off for another 20 to 50 feet. There are side chambers for storage and nesting.

7. How much does a prairie dog weigh?

Answer: 1.5 to 3 pounds

They weigh about 1.5 to 3 pounds and are between 11 and 13 inches long, with a tail length of 3 to 4 inches.

8. The gestation period for prairie dogs is 28 to 32 days. How many litters does a female have each year?

Answer: one

One litter is born to a female each year, containing 3 to 5 pups. The female can be sexually active during a 4 or 5 hour 'heat' and mate with as many as five different males...so, pups from the same litter may have different fathers.

9. Prairie dogs are very susceptable to a flea-borne disease. What disease is this?

Answer: bubonic plague

The chances of humans contracting bubonic plague from prairie dog fleas is very low, but it can wipe out a colony of prairie dogs.

Answer: 2 percent

They inhabit only about 2 percent of their former range. Prairie dog colonies are being preserved in such places as the Wind Cave National Park of South Dakota, Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, and the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Reserve near Lubbock, Texas.

Source: Author catnippin

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