The Philadelphia Zoo

Title: Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs Cynomys ludovicianus
Year: Unknown
Material: Wood, acrylic, fiberglass, cement, sand, dirt, hummus (other materials unknown)
Creator:  Unknown
Collection: Prairie Dogs

The black-tailed prairie dog exhibit is located on the east side of the zoo near to Bird Lake and the Treehouse. It is an open top exhibit, with low sides so that people (including children) can see the lookouts from afar. This also allows the prairie dogs to survey the area, which would stress them if they were prevented from such.  According to the zoo's website, the most common intruder that the prairie dog scouts look for are the free-range peacocks. The exhibit does not merely consist of what can be seen by the naked eye, however. The colony consists of fifty to sixty individuals, runs eight feet deep, and consists of a network of tunnels and living chambers.

Though this species is listed as "Of Least Concern" on the IUCN Redlist, it is relevant to the zoo as a whole in that it brings attention to species that are 'closer to home'. In addition, prior to 2004 black-tailed prairie dogs were listed as a candidate species to be added to the Endangered Species Act. Their populations were brought up through a combination of land management, education, population management (they are susceptible to the plague), and the placement of a ban on using prairie dogs in the exotic pet trade (this ban was lifted in 2008 however). In fact, the population has increased so dramatically that in some areas they are now considered pests by farmers (who, on that note, may not be interested in seeing a prairie dog exhibit and may even voice this opinion upon viewing such).

None of the above information can be found on the signage located at the prairie dog exhibit, however. Instead, the only interpretations consist of two signs: information on breeding cycles, and a description of the job of a lookout as well as how to identify them. The natural history and demographics of the prairie dogs can be found on the website, but no information is included on their conservation history. It is readily available common knowledge in the zoologic field (as well as the pet trade) that can be found on practically any website, but the average visitor would not think to look for such information.

Showcasing the success in increasing the prairie dog population is vital to the zoo's mission of conservation. Instead  of merely showing 'cute animals' in the middle of an otherwise exhibit-less area, the surroundings could be redesigned to immerse the visitor in 'prairie dog country'. Other zoos have built an interactive directly into a prairie dog exhibit, however this would not be an ideal project for a zoo that already has a complex enclosure built. One idea would be to devise a play area that models the network of tunnels that prairie dogs live in (this would be big enough for adults too, of course). This would help visitors to understand the extent to which prairie dogs organize their colonies. Signage could include comparisons of the size of  recorded prairie dog colonies to places like football fields, airports, and even counties. Finally, interpretations should be included extrapolating on the progress the prairie dog has made as a total population to emphasize the fact that conservation efforts do in fact work.