Montana Park of the Week: Greycliff Prairie Dog Town

This weeks showcase, Greycliff Prairie Dog Town State Park is brought to you by Yellowstone Country and is located in southeast Montana.

This black-tailed prairie dog community is protected and preserved through the efforts of Montana State Parks, the Nature Conservancy, and the Montana Department of Transportation.

Did you know? Interpretive displays tell the story of these small, entertaining prairie dogs and their role in the prairie ecosystem. These creatures have great ecological significance because they create patches of habitat that provide prey, shelter, and forage for a diverse number of animals, including burrowing owls, black-footed ferrets, and mountain plovers.

Enjoy the prairie dogs with your binoculars and cameras, but please do not feed them. The digestive tracts of wild animals are specifically adapted to natural foods; human foods can compromise their health and survival.

• The site is 98 acres in size and is situated at 3,600 feet in elevation.

• Prior to habitat destruction, this species may have been the most abundant prairie dog in central North America.

• This species was one of two described by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the journals and diaries of their expedition.

• Black-tailed prairie dogs live in colonies. Colony size may range from five to thousands of individuals, and may be subdivided into two or more wards, based on topographic features, such as hills. Wards are usually subdivided into two or more coteries, which are composed of aggregates of highly territorial, harem-polygynous social groups.

• Individuals within coteries are amicable with each other and hostile towards outside individuals. At the beginning of the breeding season, a coterie is typically composed of one adult male, three to four adult females, and several yearlings and juveniles of both sexes.

• The parking area to watch the prairie dogs is disabled accessible and pets are allowed, but MUST BE ON LEASH.

• A golf course is located nearby in Big Timber and also five museums.

• This park is day use only.