Snake herders: novel anti-predator behavior by black-tailed prairie dogs in response to prairie rattlesnakes

We describe a case of a unique antipredator behavior sequence in response to rattlesnakes in a population of black-tailed prairie dogs in Fort Collins, Colorado. Our analysis revealed individuals across multiple social groups within the population engaged in novel behavioral responses to prairie rattlesnakes, including ‘escorting’ behavior, where a prairie dog would walk alongside the snake. Using Markov chain analysis, we also found that prairie dogs engaged in non-random behavioral transitions and that specific pairs of behaviors were contributing to this pattern. Digital video images related to the article are available at http://www.momo-p.com/showdetail-e.php?movieid=momo230929cl01a ).