Counting Prairie Dog Pups

The name “prairie dog” is only partially accurate, as these animals are indeed native to the grasslands of North America, or prairies, but they have little to do with dogs. They are rodents, closely related to the European ground squirrel (souslik). That said, they are still different enough, which is important to note because we’ve found that visitors sometimes confuse prairie dogs with ground squirrels or even meerkats.

In winter, you won’t see the prairie dogs, as they hibernate deep within their burrow system in the enclosure. Of course, that resting period ended long ago, and the adults have been visible for most of the spring. However, the pups have only recently dared to venture out into the enclosure. The “nursery” is also underground, and the pups spend the first few weeks of their lives entirely below the surface. Around six weeks old, they finally leave the burrows for the first time and venture above ground.

Those who take the time to observe them will see how much fun they’re having —eating, playing, frolicking, and enjoying the sunshine. If they get scared, they disappear into the burrows at lightning speed. But only for a few seconds, as their curiosity soon brings them back out.

Since they are constantly coming and going, counting them is not an easy task. We’ve already done it, but we encourage our visitors to play a little game and try to figure out exactly how many prairie dog pups there are.

The area around the prairie dog enclosure is a must-visit spot, as the entrance to the Palm House is nearby, and across from the prairie dogs live the giant anteaters and pudus. Also located here is the Butterfly Garden (Lepkekert), whose season has just begun.

As for the prairie dogs, while they may look cute, they are still wild animals in the sense that they are not domesticated. So, we don’t recommend anyone let their guard down because of their adorable appearance and try to reach into the enclosure to pet them, as that might result in a bite…