關(guān)于土撥鼠，你不知道的6件事

關(guān)于土撥鼠，你不知道的6件事

Travel through the grasslands of central and western America and you'll likely see and hear countless prairie dogs.

穿越美國中西部的草原，你可能會看到和聽到無數(shù)草原土撥鼠。

Millions of the adorable burrowing rodents call these plains home, and while they may be a common sight, they have many unique characteristics.

數(shù)以百萬計的可愛的穴居嚙齒動物把這些平原稱為家園，雖然它們可能是常見的景象，但它們有許多獨特的特征。

Black tailed prairie dogs keep an eye out for dander at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. (Photo: Larry Smith [CC BY 2.0]/Flickr)

Read on for some fascinating facts about prairie dogs.

請繼續(xù)閱讀關(guān)于土撥鼠的一些有趣的事實。

1.They were once the most abundant mammals in North America.

它們曾是北美數(shù)量最多的哺乳動物。

Black-tailed prairie dogs like these once numbered in the millions. (Photo: Larry Smith [CC BY 2.0]/Flickr)

However, hunting, poisoning and habitat loss decreased the population by more than 95 percent, and today the species numbers somewhere between 10 million to 20 million.

然而，狩獵、中毒和棲息地的喪失使種群數(shù)量減少了95%以上，今天的物種數(shù)量在1000萬到2000萬之間。

2.Their link with the plague is frequently overstated

它們與鼠疫的聯(lián)系經(jīng)常被夸大

Prairie dogs are mostly found far from humans. (Photo: Larry Smith [CC BY 2.0]/Flickr)

Like many other rodents, prairie dogs are susceptible to the plague, but their response is dramatic: More than 95% of prairie dogs will die within 78 hours of infection with plague, according to the Prairie Dog Coalition fact sheet, compiled with the Humane Society of the United States. As a result, they are a good indicator of the presence of plague in an area.

與許多其他嚙齒動物一樣，草原土撥鼠也容易感染鼠疫，但它們的反應(yīng)卻是驚人的:根據(jù)美國人道協(xié)會編制的草原土撥鼠聯(lián)盟簡報，95%以上的草原土撥鼠將在感染鼠疫后78小時內(nèi)死亡。因此，它們是一個地區(qū)鼠疫存在的良好指標。

3.They have well-organized homes.

它們的家庭組織得很好。

A prairie dog peeks out of its burrow. (Photo: Kabacchi [CC BY 2.0]/Flickr)

Prairie dogs live in complex underground burrows with designated areas for nurseries, sleeping and toilets. The tunnel system is designed to allow air to flow through them, providing ventilation, and every exit also has a listening post.

草原土撥鼠生活在復(fù)雜的地下洞穴中，有指定的區(qū)域作為托兒所、睡覺和廁所。隧道系統(tǒng)的設(shè)計允許空氣通過它們，提供通風，每個出口也有一個監(jiān)聽站。

4.They live in towns.

它們住在城鎮(zhèn)里。

A family of prairie dogs in the snow. (Photo: Lee Winnike/USFWS [CC BY 2.0]/Flickr)

Prairie dogs are social animals, and they live in family groups called coteries that typically contain an adult male, one or more adult females and their young. Coteries are grouped together into wards, and several wards of prairie dogs make up a town or colony.

草原土撥鼠是一種群居動物，它們生活在一種稱為群交的家庭中，通常由一只成年雄性土撥鼠、一只或多只成年雌性土撥鼠和它們的后代組成。成群結(jié)隊的草原犬鼠組成一個城鎮(zhèn)或聚居地。

5.They 'kiss.'

它們會接吻

The nose touch has meaning. (Photo: Sarowen/USFWS [CC BY 2.0]/Flickr)

Prairie dogs often "kiss" when they come and go in the area around their burrow. When they do so, they'll touch noses and lock their teeth with one another, which allows them to determine if they're members of the same family group.

土撥鼠經(jīng)常在它們的洞穴周圍來來回回地“親吻”。當它們這樣做的時候，它們會互相摸鼻子和鎖住牙齒，這樣它們就可以確定它們是否屬于同一個家庭。

6.They're ecologically important.

它們在生態(tài)環(huán)境中很重要

Nibbling on the grass at Cotswold Wildlife Park. (Photo: Stuart Richards [CC BY-ND 2.0]/Flickr)

As a keystone species for the prairies, entire ecosystems rely on these tiny mammals. Their tunneling aerates the soil, and their dung is high in nitrogen, which improves soil quality. Prairie dogs are also a food source for many animals, and their deserted burrows provide nesting areas for a variety of species, including snakes and burrowing owls.

作為草原的關(guān)鍵物種，整個生態(tài)系統(tǒng)都依賴于這些微小的哺乳動物。它們的隧道挖掘使土壤通氣，它們的糞便富含氮，這改善了土壤質(zhì)量。土撥鼠也是許多動物的食物來源，它們廢棄的洞穴為各種物種提供了筑巢的地方，包括蛇和穴居貓頭鷹。