Maryland Zoo Unveils New Litters Of Prairie Dog Pups

BALTIMORE — New litters of black-tailed prairie dogs at the Maryland Zoo have begun exploring the world above the ground, the zoo announced Monday in a news release.

In the release, the zoo said the babies — it's unclear how many new pups were born this spring — started popping their heads above ground last week. Now, they're exploring their enclosure with their more senior counterparts.

The zoo said black-tailed prairie dogs are native to the western United States and spend much of their time burrowing underground tunnel systems, where pups are birthed in nesting chambers. Female prairie dogs usually birth one litter of three to four pups per year.

After they're born, prairie dog pups may spend as long as seven weeks underground nursing and developing hair and eyesight, both of which they're born without.

The zoo said prairie dogs are considered a "species of least concern," a marked improvement from their former place on the critically endangered list in the 1970s. Even still, prairie dog populations are experiencing decline as urban development lays claim to their habitats.

The zoo is currently closed indefinitely, but it regularly posts about its animals on Facebook.