{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "xerus",
  "name": "Xerus",
  "scientificName": "Xerus inauris",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The xerus is an African ground squirrel of dry, open country, known for using its bushy tail as a parasol against the sun. Xerus live in social burrow colonies, eat seeds, roots, and insects, are active by day, and typically live around 6 years in the wild.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Rodentia",
    "family": "Sciuridae",
    "genus": "Xerus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.7,
    "lengthM": 0.45,
    "topSpeedKmh": 30,
    "lifespanYears": 6
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Xerus inauris"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Omnivore (seeds, roots, insects)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Dry savanna, scrub, and semi-desert"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Around 6 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "500–1,000 g (1.1–2.2 lb)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Quick, darting runner"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Dry savannas, scrub, and semi-deserts across southern and eastern Africa.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Xerus inauris.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Xerus%20inauris&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Xerus inauris. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Xerus_inauris/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/xerus/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/xerus/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}