Prairie Dogs (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)

The prairie dog of western North America is not only an icon of the American west but a keystone species as well. Prairie dogs are burrowers, and their extensive network of tunnels, chambers, and mounds known as “prairie dog towns” serve as important habitat for a host of species, including burrowing owls and the black-footed ferret that not only lives in prairie dog burrows but also preys on them. The diet of the black-footed ferret is 90% prairie dogs. Additionally, the burrowing of the prairie dog encourages the growth of desirable grasses and turns over the nutrient and mineral rich topsoil. Prairie dog burrows can measure up to 33’ (10 meters) long and 9.8’ (3 meters) deep.

It should come as no surprise then that this species has been persecuted by humans, which have traditionally regarded them as agricultural pests. Although two of the four prairie dog species are listed as least concern, they’ve all experienced population declines, which played a part in the near extinction of the black-footed ferret. Today we’re looking at Safari’s prairie dog trio which was released in 2010 as part of their Incredible Creatures line.

Prairie dogs are ground squirrels belonging to the genus Cynomys. There are four species of prairie dog, but Safari’s is easy to identify. The black tipped tails tell us these are black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). Black-tailed prairie dogs are the most widespread species of prairie dog. They’re found in southern Canada, from southern Saskatchewan and Alberta, south to Chihuahua, Mexico, as far west as Montana and as far east as eastern Nebraska. Black-tailed prairie dogs are responsible for the largest recorded prairie dog town which covered 25,000 square miles in Texas and was home to 400 million prairie dogs.

The Safari Ltd. prairie dog figure consists of three individuals, including a small juvenile, sitting upright as if surveying their town from atop one of their mounds. The adults stand 3” (7.62 cm) tall while black-tailed prairie dogs measure 14-17” (36-43 cm) in length, excluding the tail. This puts the adults at about 1/5 in scale.

When I first encountered this figure in a local antique shop, I initially disregarded it, thinking it to be a small sculpture instead of a proper toy. But my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to examine the underside to then discover, with much shock and delight, that it was a figure by Safari Ltd. The presentation is unusual for a toy and of course, play is severely limited because of it. Grouping a few prairie dogs together was an apt decision here though, as prairie dogs are extremely social. 

The figure was sculpted by Doug Watson, like so many of Safari’s best. Highlights include the disheveled look of the sculpted hair on the chest and intricately defined toe pads. Even the underside of the figure, which could have been smooth, shows defined foot pads and hair sculpted as if it was being sat upon.

The prairie dogs are painted tan with white and buff-colored chests. The tails are tipped in black, and the inside surface of the hands and feet are pink with black claws. The eyes are black and ringed in white, and the mouth and nose are outlined in black. The paint application is decent on my example. I don’t usually like mouths and noses being outlined in black, but it works alright here.

Prairie dogs are rare as toys and this is the only one that clearly depicts the black-tailed prairie dog specifically. Safari has another prairie dog in their Incredible Creatures line, a standalone individual, but it doesn’t have a black tipped tail so must be a different species. Unfortunately, this unique figure was retired in 2014, meaning it was only in production for four short years. Safari’s standalone figure was retired too, in 2022, so we’re in need of a new prairie dog. If you want this one, then it’s off to eBay to vigilantly scour through lots. Or maybe you’ll get lucky and run into one like I did.