Prairie dogs live in large colonies that are also called towns or villages. Undisturbed colonies have thousands of residents and extend for miles in all directions. Within colonies, prairie dogs live in family groups called coteries. The typical coterie territory contains about 70 burrow entrances. As many as 26 prairie dogs sometimes live in one coterie, but most coteries contain a single breeding male, three or four breeding females, and several nonbreeding yearlings and juveniles.
Coterie members share burrows within the home territory, with one exception.
For about six weeks after birth, mothers do not allow entry into the nursery burrow. Male prairie dogs, which are about 15 percent heavier than females, rarely live longer than five years. Some females, however, live for eight years. Predators of the prairie dog include coyotes, bobcats, badgers, black-footed ferrets, golden eagles, and prairie falcons. To defend against so many enemies, prairie dogs commonly perch on the large mounds at burrow entrances and look for danger.