The prairie dog (Cynomys) is a small, burrowing rodent native to the grasslands of North America. On average, this stout-bodied rodent will grow to be between 12 and 16 inches (30 and 40 cm) long, including its short tail. They are found throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In the United States, prairie dogs are primarily found west of the Mississippi River, though they have also been introduced into a few eastern locales. Etymology Prairie dogs are named for their habitat and warning call, which sounds similar to a dog's bark. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the name is attested from at least 1774.[1] The 1804 journals of the Lewis and Clark expedition note that in September of 1804, they "discovered a Village of an animal the french Call the Prarie Dog" [2] Its genus, Cynomys, derives from the Greek for "mouse dog." Biology and behavior Prairie Dogs A Black-tailed Prairie Dog forages above ground for grasses and leavesThe highly-social prairie dogs live in large colonies or "towns"