{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "dung-beetle",
  "name": "Dung Beetle",
  "scientificName": "Scarabaeus sacer",
  "category": "Insect",
  "summary": "Dung beetles are beetles that feed on animal droppings, and many are famous for rolling dung into balls and pushing them away to bury as food or a brood chamber. They are remarkably strong for their size and play a vital role in recycling waste, improving soil, and reducing pests. Found on every continent except Antarctica, dung beetles include species that roll, tunnel, or simply dwell in dung.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Arthropoda",
    "class": "Insecta",
    "order": "Coleoptera",
    "family": "Scarabaeidae",
    "genus": "Scarabaeus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.003,
    "lengthM": 0.025,
    "topSpeedKmh": 1,
    "lifespanYears": 1
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Scarabaeus sacer"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Coprophagous (animal dung)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Grasslands, farmland, forests, and deserts"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Around 1 to 3 years"
    },
    {
      "label": "Length",
      "value": "0.5–3 cm depending on species"
    },
    {
      "label": "Strength",
      "value": "Can move many times its own body weight"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Grasslands, farmland, and deserts worldwide; famous for rolling balls of dung.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa",
      "Europe",
      "Asia"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Scarabaeus sacer.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Scarabaeus%20sacer&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Scarabaeus sacer. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Scarabaeus_sacer/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Dung Beetle.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarabaeus_sacer"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/dung-beetle/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/dung-beetle/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}