Can Prairie Dogs Talk? (2017)

Seeing and hearing prairie dogs squeak at each other is one of the neatest things I've encountered at any of the national parks. At Theodore Roosevelt there are large colonies bisected by a park road with plenty of pulloffs. I sat there in the truck with my dog for hours just watching how they scurry around and play in the 20 degree temperatures. Seeing the panic when a badger started to encroach on their territory was also kind of nerve-racking.

I was lucky to grow up near a field with many prairie dogs. It was very clear to me as a kid they were talking in whatever capacity they have. Kinda felt like it could have been a scene out of a Star Wars movie at times. They also clearly didn’t like us humans mucking about for surely great reasons.

That field has since been “cleared” of several endangered species via purportedly “safe” means for housing development.