N. American Timber Wolf – Canis lupus Fairytales say that the “big, bad wolf” eats people, but actually wolves avoid humans. Wolves in the wild live in packs of eight or nine, but may form groups as large as 30. They can be up to six feet long, weigh 100 pounds, and live as long as fifteen years. Interesting fact: One of the ways wolves communicate is by howling. Wolves howl to start a hunt, to greet each other, and sometimes just for fun.     Prairie Dog –Cynomys ludovicianus Prairie Dogs are highly social, living together in large underground colonies called "towns." Found throughout the grasslands of North America, their underground burrows made them very unpopular with ranchers who were afraid their cattle might trip due to the holes in the ground. Kissing, nuzzling, grooming, playing, and vocal communication reinforce family bonds among the prairie dogs. Interesting fact: These social rodents are not actually dogs, but shorthaired and short-tailed squirrels.