I examined dispersal and social organization of Gunnison's prairie dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni) for 7 years at Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona. Within colonies, individuals lived in harem-polygynous family groups called clans. The number of clans at the study site each year ranged from 21 to 23, with a mean of 22.3. Clan size (the number of adults living in the same territory) ranged from I to 19, with a mean of 5.30. Clans contained 1.06 +/- 0.39 (SD) breeding males,, 3.01 +/- 2.08 breeding females, and 1.23 +/- 1.65 nonbreeding yearling males. Some clams contained two breeding males, and others contained no resident breeding male. The area of clan territories ranged from 0.16 ha to 1.82 ha, with a mean of 0.67 ha. Females were [...]
