{"id":42155,"date":"2022-12-16T15:45:46","date_gmt":"2022-12-16T14:45:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/?post_type=animal&p=42155"},"modified":"2026-05-28T12:38:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T10:38:48","slug":"prairie-dog","status":"publish","type":"animal","link":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/prairie-dog","title":{"rendered":"Prairie dog"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n \n
\n \"Prairie<\/picture> <\/figure>\n\n \n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Homepage<\/a><\/span> Prairie dog<\/span><\/span> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div> <\/div>\n\n
\n
\n
\n

Prairie dog<\/h1>\n \n \n\n

In the New World zone, step into the realm of this red-skinned creature from North America!<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/picture><\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n \n \n \n <\/path>\n <\/clipPath>\n <\/defs>\n<\/svg> \n \n \n <\/path>\n <\/clipPath>\n <\/defs>\n<\/svg><\/section>\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n \"\"<\/picture> <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n
\n \n \n\n

A sociable animal<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Particularly sociable and playful, this species exhibits a remarkable lack of organized social structure. It spends most of its time in underground burrows (with up to 3,000 square meters of tunnels) where it lives in large colonies, which are themselves divided into \u201ccliques\u201d (of up to 25 individuals).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every member of the clan contributes to its well-being: raising the young, building and maintaining the burrow, keeping watch\u2026<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

IUCN status<\/h2>\n \n

The International Union for Conservation of Nature\u2019s Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

\n
\n

\n NA<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

No evaluated<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n

\n DD<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Data deficient<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n

\n LC<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Least Concern<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n

\n NT<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Near threatened<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n

\n VU<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Vulnerable<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n

\n EN<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Endangered<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n

\n CR<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Critically endangered<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n

\n EW<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Extinct in the wild<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n

\n EX<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Extinct<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n \n \n <\/path>\n <\/clipPath>\n <\/defs>\n<\/svg> \n \n \n <\/path>\n <\/clipPath>\n <\/defs>\n<\/svg><\/section>\n\n\n\n
\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Description<\/h2>\n \n

Cynomys ludovicianus<\/p>\n \n

\n\n
\n <\/g><\/g><\/svg>
\n Family<\/span>\n

Sciuridae<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n

\n <\/g><\/g><\/svg>
\n Weight<\/span>\n

900 g to 1.4 kg<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n

\n <\/g><\/g><\/svg>
\n Height<\/span>\n

30 to 40 cm<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n

\n <\/g><\/g><\/svg>
\n Habitat<\/span>\n

Vast grassy plains<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n

\n <\/g><\/g><\/svg>
\n Status<\/span>\n

Least Concern<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n

\n <\/g><\/g><\/svg>
\n Lifespan<\/span>\n

10 years in captivity \/ 5 to 8 years in the wild<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

\n
\n \"\"<\/picture> <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n \n \n <\/path>\n <\/clipPath>\n <\/defs>\n<\/svg><\/section>\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n \n

An environmental benefit<\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/section>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n \n

Essential to the health of its environment, it contributes to the ecological balance of North America\u2019s vast plains and grasslands, on which many animal and plant species depend. By turning over the soil to build its burrows, it enriches and improves its structure, making it more porous and contributing to its fertility\u2026 just as earthworms and moles do.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/section>\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\n \n

Origin of the name<\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/section>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n \n

Contrary to what its name might suggest, the prairie dog is not related to dogs at all. It owes its name to its characteristic call, which sounds like a high-pitched bark. In the United States, it is also sometimes called a \u201cbarking squirrel.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/section>\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\n \n

Food<\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/section>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n \n

As a herbivore that feeds primarily on plants, it eats one-tenth of its body weight each day and obtains the minimum amount of water it needs from the vegetation it consumes. It may also supplement its diet with fruits and, to a lesser extent, insects.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/section>\n\n\n

\n\n
\n\n
\n\n
\n
\n \"\"<\/picture> <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n\n
\n \"\"<\/picture> <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n <\/g><\/svg><\/span>\n Afficher tout<\/span>\n View all photos<\/span>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
\n
\n 1<\/span> \/ 3<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n \"\"<\/picture> <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n \"\"<\/picture> <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n \"\"<\/picture> <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":9502,"template":"","animal_family":[329],"animal_univers":[330],"animal_others":[],"class_list":["post-42155","animal","type-animal","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPrairie dog | Parc Animalier Sainte-Croix<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The prairie dog spends most of its time in underground burrows, where it lives in large colonies.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/prairie-dog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Prairie dog | Parc Animalier Sainte-Croix\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The prairie dog spends most of its time in underground burrows, where it lives in large colonies.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/prairie-dog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Parc de Saint Croix\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LodgesSainteCroix\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-28T10:38:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/DQ2A1330-1-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1707\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@parc_stecroix\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en\\\/animals\\\/prairie-dog\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en\\\/animals\\\/prairie-dog\",\"name\":\"Prairie dog | Parc Animalier Sainte-Croix\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en\\\/animals\\\/prairie-dog#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en\\\/animals\\\/prairie-dog#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/DQ2A1330-1-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-12-16T14:45:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-28T10:38:48+00:00\",\"description\":\"The prairie dog spends most of its time in underground burrows, where it lives in large colonies.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en\\\/animals\\\/prairie-dog#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en\\\/animals\\\/prairie-dog\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en\\\/animals\\\/prairie-dog#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/DQ2A1330-1-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/DQ2A1330-1-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":1707,\"height\":2560},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en\\\/animals\\\/prairie-dog#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Homepage\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Prairie dog\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en\",\"name\":\"Parc de Saint Croix\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en#organization\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en#organization\",\"name\":\"Parc de Saint Croix\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/SainteCroix-Favicon.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/SainteCroix-Favicon.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Parc de Saint Croix\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/parcsaintecroix.com\\\/en#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/LodgesSainteCroix\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/parc_stecroix\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Prairie dog | Parc Animalier Sainte-Croix","description":"The prairie dog spends most of its time in underground burrows, where it lives in large colonies.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/prairie-dog","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Prairie dog | Parc Animalier Sainte-Croix","og_description":"The prairie dog spends most of its time in underground burrows, where it lives in large colonies.","og_url":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/prairie-dog","og_site_name":"Parc de Saint Croix","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LodgesSainteCroix\/","article_modified_time":"2026-05-28T10:38:48+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1707,"height":2560,"url":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/DQ2A1330-1-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@parc_stecroix","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/prairie-dog","url":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/prairie-dog","name":"Prairie dog | Parc Animalier Sainte-Croix","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/prairie-dog#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/prairie-dog#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/DQ2A1330-1-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2022-12-16T14:45:46+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-28T10:38:48+00:00","description":"The prairie dog spends most of its time in underground burrows, where it lives in large colonies.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/prairie-dog#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/prairie-dog"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/prairie-dog#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/DQ2A1330-1-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/DQ2A1330-1-scaled.jpg","width":1707,"height":2560},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/prairie-dog#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Homepage","item":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Prairie dog"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en#website","url":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en","name":"Parc de Saint Croix","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en#organization"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en#organization","name":"Parc de Saint Croix","url":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/SainteCroix-Favicon.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/SainteCroix-Favicon.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Parc de Saint Croix"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LodgesSainteCroix\/","https:\/\/x.com\/parc_stecroix"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/animal\/42155","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/animal"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/animal"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9502"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"animal_family","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/animal_family?post=42155"},{"taxonomy":"animal_univers","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/animal_univers?post=42155"},{"taxonomy":"animal_others","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/animal_others?post=42155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}