Population differences in how black-tailed prairie dogs deal with snakes

Abstract

This paper examines the antisnake behavior of a snake-experienced Texas (TX) population and a snake-naive South Dakota (SD) population of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). Animals in both populations were presented with tethered rattlesnakes and nonvenomous bullsnakes before and after the first emergence of pups from their natal burrows. SD and TX adults were more likely to actively harass snakes than were pups. There were no differences in the behavior of SD adult males vs females or fathers vs non-fathers, contrary to what was found in TX. However, SD mothers did call more and stayed closer to snakes than did SD non-mothers. All SD adult sex-parental classes spent less time dealing with snakes after the emergence of pups, which was not observed in TX. The primary difference between the two populations was the behavior of TX males who spent a great deal of time harassing snakes. SD adults behaved most like TX females in that these groups spent little time actively dealing with snakes. Pups in both populations behaved similarly. These results are interpreted in terms of the relationship between potential predator and potential prey.