A year-round inhabitant of Bryce Canyon’s high plateau meadows, the Utah Prairie Dog is an important component of the park’s ecosystem. Although called prairie “dogs,” they are actually members of the squirrel family, and live in complex social colonies or “towns.” Their burrows are made up of several chambers and provide protection from predators, places to raise young, store food, and hibernate through
the cold winter months.

The Utah Prairie Dog has been federally listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1973 and is protected as a threatened species. Bryce Canyon National Park reintroduced the Utah Prairie Dog to park meadows from 1974 through 1988 and is the only National Park Service unit where they occur. Today, approximately 200 Utah Prairie Dogs are found within several meadow complexes within the Park