Gunnison's prairie dogs are primarily distributed in the Four Corners region of the United States.

[6][8] They can be found in high desert, grasslands, meadows, hillsides, broad alluvial valleys and floodplains.

As a result of the Gunnison's prairie dogs burrowing, the soil is freshened, organic matter is added, and increased water penetration is able to occur.

The territories inhabited by the Gunnison's prairie dog are defended by social groups, and violent behavior is common toward other animals who are not members.

These prairie dogs often feed in feebly defended peripheral sections of territories that belong to other groups, but when members from different groups meet in these common feeding areas, conflicts can arise, with one prairie dog chasing the other back to its territory.

Their above-ground activities include making social contact, being aware of their surroundings and predators, grooming, burrowing, etc.

During the winter, the Gunnison's prairie dog stays underground for long periods of time without food or water, using physiological adaptations to control their metabolism.

The Gunnison's prairie dog communicates through forms of physical contact, such as cuddling and kissing, and through vocalization, such as a warning bark.

The warning signal is their primary source of survival because it alerts the other prairie dogs to nearby danger.

As danger approaches, the intensity of the signal increases, and it ends after the prairie dog has entered its safe haven.

[4] A high percentage of female Gunnison's prairie dogs settle close to their birth territories for their entire lifetimes, whereas a significantly low percentage of the males stay close to their birth territories for longer than one year.

The population of the Gunnison's prairie dog is declining drastically due to three major factors: shootings, plague cycles, and poisoning.

[10] Many concerned groups of people are requesting that the Gunnison's Prairie Dog be listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.

[17] Predators include badgers, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, black-footed ferrets, weasels, golden eagles and large hawks.

[6] Humans also affect prairie dog populations; for example, some ranchers implement poisoning programs to eliminate them.

Plague (disease), caused by Yersinia pestis and transmitted via fleas, can wipe out numerous individuals of the prairie dog populations.