Xerus Fun for Kids: Facts, Videos & Coloring Page Activities

Xerus

Meet the Xerus! The Xerus is a curious squirrellike animal that lives in dry places. It’s fun to watch them hop around, dig burrows, and chat with their friends. These busy little creatures are full of energy and have amazing ways to stay safe and find food.

Watch a Xerus in Action!

Here’s a great video showing a Xerus running, digging, and talking with others.

What is a Xerus?

The Xerus is a rodent that looks like a ground squirrel. It has a bushy tail and long legs for jumping around.

Lives in family groups called colonies
Has sharp claws for digging tunnels and burrows
Big, round eyes that help it see far away

Where do Xeruses live?

Xeruses live in warm, dry areas of Africa. They make homes under the ground or in rocky places.

Found in countries like Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana
Live in open grasslands, dry savannas, and rocky hills

What do Xeruses eat?

These little diggers love to eat seeds, nuts, plants, and bugs.

Seeds and nuts help them grow strong
Leaves, flowers, and roots give them vitamins
They sometimes eat insects for extra protein

How big is a Xerus?

Xeruses are about as long as a school ruler and weigh about as much as a small bag of sugar.

Body length: around 30 cm (12 in)
Tail length: about 25 cm (10 in)
Weight: about 700 g (1.5 lb), like a small paperback book

What sound do Xeruses make?

Xeruses chirp, bark, and whistle to talk to their friends. They make noisy calls when they see danger.

Cool Xerus facts

Xeruses are full of surprises!

They sleep in underground burrows to stay cool during hot days.
Their bushy tails help shade them from the sun like an umbrella.
They stand on their back legs to look for predators from far away.
Xeruses clean their homes by kicking out dirt every morning.
They use squeaky calls to tell each other “I’m safe” or “Watch out!”
Young Xeruses learn digging from their parents when they are just a few weeks old.

Printables and coloring fun

Are you ready to color and play?

Download Xerus Coloring Page (PDF)

Xeruses in the eco‑system

Xeruses help their homes in many ways and face some risks too.

Digging burrows helps mix soil and grow plants
They spread seeds when they eat, making new flowers grow
They are food for animals like birds of prey and snakes
There are about 100,000 Xeruses left in the wild
They are not endangered now, but could be at risk if land is lost

Ask a grown-up to help you learn more

Want to read more about Xeruses with a grown‑up?

Fun questions about Xeruses

What is a Xerus?

A Xerus is a ground squirrel with a bushy tail that lives in Africa.

Where does a Xerus live?

Xeruses live in dry grasslands and rocky areas in countries like Namibia and Botswana.

What does a Xerus eat?

Xeruses eat seeds, nuts, plants, and insects.

How big is a Xerus?

A Xerus is about 30 cm long with a 25 cm tail and weighs around 700 g.

What sound does a Xerus make?

Xeruses chirp, bark, and whistle to talk with each other.

Why do Xeruses stand on their back legs?

They stand up to look out for danger, like big birds or snakes.

Ways to donate and support Xeruses

You can help Xeruses by protecting their homes and learning more about them. Your support helps scientists and wildlife groups keep Xerus families safe.

Visit WWF to support wildlife conservation

Sources: Wikipedia, Live Science, Creative Commons, Britannica.com and Freesound.org