Boston Zoo Prairie Dog Pups Make Their Debut by Emerging from Their Burrows for the First Time
Zoo New England
Seven baby prairie dogs born at the Franklin Park Zoo in March recently emerged from their burrows and walked above ground for the first time.
According to a release from the Boston zoo, the seven prairie dog pups were born around March 20. At birth, the animals are blind and hairless; the pups need about six weeks to grow before they are ready to come above ground.
Now that the new additions have decided to make their debut, zoo guests can get a chance to see the prairie dog pups themselves.
"Prairie dogs are highly social animals and it will be fascinating for our guests to watch the pups grow up," Dr. Malu Celli, the vice president of animal care at Zoo New England — which manages Franklin Park Zoo — said in a statement.
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Zoo New England
"A sure sign that spring has officially arrived is when we begin to spot the tiny pups emerging from their burrows," she added. "The first pup was spotted on May 1, and the care team has been closely monitoring the pups since they've emerged from their underground home."
The zoo's care team doesn't know yet how many pups were born this season. They are waiting for all the baby animals to leave the burrows, which should occur by the end of May, before revealing a final count.
On Friday, Zoo New England shared a video of the Franklin Park Zoo prairie dog pups on Instagram, which shows the animals eating and playing together.
Zoo New England
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"Seven prairie dog pups are scampering around the Children's Zoo," Zoo New England wrote with the clip. "They recently emerged from their burrows, so visitors can see the pups exploring their habitat, foraging for food, and wrestling with each other."
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According to the zoo's release, black-tailed prairie dogs "are small, stout, tan rodents with a light white or buff-white belly. They have short black tails, small ears, dark eyes, and long claws used for digging,".
Prairie dogs are found in the habitats of western North America. They live together in colonies and form underground burrow systems. Both male and female prairie dogs help raise the young, the Franklin Park Zoo added.
