Prairie Dogs Do the Wave (VIDEO)

Most of us have been at some kind of sporting event or large gathering, where in the spirit of togetherness, the audience erupts in one giant fluid motion known as the wave. But guess what? We’re not the only ones who use the wave. Apparently prairie dogs do too! In fact, their “wave” is often refereed to as a “jump-yip.”

This action starts off with one prairie dog jumping up on his/her hind legs, reaching for the sky with his/her front legs, and making a small yip sound. Then, other prairie dogs follow suit just like we do at football games.

However, there may be more to the prairie dog wave than just fun. Discovery News reports that it may be a form of communication among towns of prairie dogs to evaluate if it’s safe to go foraging. Scientists have observed that if a prairie dog does the jump-yip and gets little response, he/she will not go search for food. However, if they do get a response from other prairie dogs, they are more likely to go out and forage.

Hit the play button on the video below to check out some of these prairie dog “waves” in action!