Abstract Across North America, anthropogenically induced habitat fragmentation has led to a
severe decline in populations of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). Although
the area occupied by black-tailed prairie dogs in Chihuahua, northwestern Mexico, also has
recently declined, this site remains comparatively unaffected by human disturbance.
Cytochrome-b sequences and 10 nuclear microsatellite loci were analyzed across 13
colonies to test if due to large size, absence of plague, and protected status, the black-tailed …