The Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) is a diurnal burrowing rodent native to north-central Mexico.

Northern prairie dogs hibernate and have a shorter mating season, which generally lasts from January to April.

Prairie dogs have one of the most sophisticated languages in the animal world—a system of high-pitched yips and barks—and can run up to 35 mph (56 km/h).

[5] Mexican prairie dogs live in excavated colonies, referred to as "towns", which they dig for shelter and protection.

A typical town has a funnel-like entrance that slants down into a corridor up to 100 ft (30 m) long, with side chambers for storage and nesting.

In 1956, the Mexican prairie dog was reported as occurring in Coahuila, Nuevo León, and San Luis Potosí.

Pronatura Noreste, as of February 2007, has signed conservation easements with ejidos and private owners for the protection of more than 42,000 acres (170 km2) of Mexican prairie dog grasslands.