Don Balke: Black-tailed Prairie Dog and Cottonwood

Artist: Don Balke
1932 -
Nationality: American
Artwork Year: 1980
Image Size: 13.75 by 12 inches
Overall Size: 25 by 20.125 inches
Medium: Water Color on Water Color Paper

In 1804, during his Missouri River expedition, Captain Meriwether Lewis wrote that the Great Plains were "entirely occupied by the burrows of the barking squirrel." Now known as the prairie dog, this rodent provides shelter for many other species that use its vacant burrows. It is also an important source of food for predators such as coyotes and hawks. Named for its short, black-tipped tail, this prairie dog has a thick body and a brownish tan coat. A social animal, the "barking squirrel" inhabits huge underground colonies or "towns" from one to one thousand acres in size. Prairie dog towns are subdivided into wards arranged like counties in a state, then into family groups where there is much playing, touching, nuzzling, mutual grooming and vocal communication. Mating occurs in the early spring and two to eight young are born after a gestation period of about thirty days. The young remain in the burrow for about two weeks and then disperse. The black-tailed prairie dog lives on short grass prairie and eats mainly leaves, stems and roots of grasses, weeds and forbs. It doesn't need to drink water as it gets all the moisture it needs by consuming leafy foods. Today, the black-tailed prairie dog is recognized as an integral part of the interdependent Great Plains Prairie ecosystem, unique to North America, while elsewhere it is considered a pest and routinely destroyed to make room for housing developments.

This painting was published on the Fleetwood® First Day Cover for the U.S. 34¢ Prairie Dog stamp issued April 19, 2001.

Artwork Copyright © 1980 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): XB05936

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