Prepare for cuteness overload! After spending days at Palo Duro Canyon and not seeing any tarantulas mating, aoudad sheep, or even rattlesnakes, we came to Caprock where we saw the official bison herd of the state of Texas, and these cute little guys–the little prairie dogs!
According to Google, Prairie dogs are burrowing, colony-forming squirrels that are native to the grasslands of North America. They are considered the keystone species of the western plains.
They can be destructive and create unwanted holes in prairies which cause injuries to animals and humans alike. They also compete with cattle for the grass that they both feed on, which is why ranchers are not keen on having them on their land.
On the other hand, the tunnels they create are also used by other animals, such as burrowing owls, to hide from predators.
Prairie dogs are very social critters. They live in families in their underground homes, and they take turns standing sentry to warn others to take cover whenever a predator approaches. Their high-pitched squeaks can be heard from quite a distance giving the others plenty of time to take cover.
On the darker side, their family love does not always seem apparent. The females of a few species are known to commit infanticide and eat the young of their extended family. Again, according to Google: Researchers hypothesize that this behavior increases the chances of survival for their own offspring. They believe that competition is so extreme that sometimes natural selection favors prairie dogs to kill the offspring of close relatives. Not what you expect when you look at their cute little faces.
There are at least two prairie dog towns at Caprock Canyon SP. One is right next to a parking lot, while the other is off a trail about a half mile from the parking lot. I was told by a park ranger about the burrowing owls but failed to find any in either town.
As we walked past the holes, the high-pitched squeaks sounded out across the field. Try as we might, we just couldn’t get very close without them diving for cover. Luckily, with a long lens and high megapixel camera, we got a few decent photos to share of the critters.
And with that, we come to the end of our Palo Duro adventure. With four days of driving, hiking, and photographing, it is time for the 9-hour drive home with a couple of days to recuperate before returning to our real lives and jobs. Reality is a harsh taskmaster, but to work we must go.
We shall return with more adventures, and hopefully, with this trip as a kick starter, this blog will start being updated much more often.
Be on the lookout for the next post.
Michael & Karen
Words and photography copyright 2023 M Hampton Photography