|  One
of the park's prairie dog towns is located 1.2 miles (1.9 km) north
of the visitor center at the junction of U.S. Highway 385 and S.D.
87.
The black-tailed prairie
dog is one of the mammals characteristic of the North American
prairie. From this view, visitors see the mounds that the each prairie
dog builds as both a dam to protect its burrow and a sentinel post.
Prairie dogs eat grass and keep it cropped short so that they may
have an unobstructed view of approaching predators. At this prairie
dog town as well as others in the park, the landscape is generally
flat, offering the prairie dogs large vistas.
Prairie dogs are very important for the ecology
of the mixed grass prairie. The habits of these rodents
improve conditions in parts of the grassland thus attracting pronghorn
and bison to the dog towns. The short cropping of the grass makes
it more nutritious for bison.
Please observe the prairie dogs from a safe distance
and please do not feed prairie dogs. Walking out on the town tramples
their food supply. Prairie dogs can inflict a painful bite and carry
fleas that can cause plague. Also, prairie
rattlesnakes and black widow spiders use prairie dog burrows
for shelter.
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