# How Long Do Black-tailed Prairie Dogs Live?

> Black-tailed Prairie Dog lifespan is typically 3–8 years in the wild. What shortens or extends life, life stages, and status (Least Concern).

- **Species:** Black-tailed Prairie Dog (*Cynomys ludovicianus*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Herbivore — grasses, forbs, and roots
- **Habitat:** Shortgrass and mixed-grass prairie of central North America
- **Lifespan:** 3–8 years in the wild
- **Top speed:** Up to 24 km/h (15 mph) to burrow
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/prairie-dog/how-long-do-prairie-dog-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/prairie-dog/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The black-tailed prairie dog is a burrowing ground squirrel of the shortgrass and mixed-grass plains of central North America, not a dog at all. It grows to about 40 cm long and 0.7 to 1.5 kg, and lives in vast underground colonies known as towns. Highly social and vocal, these rodents graze on grasses and forbs and typically live 3 to 8 years in the wild.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a prognosis for one named animal. This page is a species lifespan range.

## Life underground in the town

Black-tailed prairie dogs live in sprawling colonies called towns, which are divided into family groups known as coteries. A coterie usually holds one adult male, several females, and their young, all sharing and defending a network of tunnels. Their burrows include separate chambers for sleeping, nurseries, and even listening posts near the entrance, along with raised mounds that keep out floodwater and serve as lookout platforms. Historically these towns could stretch for miles and hold thousands of animals.

## Help protect the Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/prairie-dog/how-long-do-prairie-dog-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.