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Prairie dogs, like this North America Black-tailed prairie dog, are chubby little critters who are members of the squirrel (
Scuiridae) family. John Elk/Getty Images
A rodent is a rodent, right? Sure — even if they don't necessarily
look like your idea of one. There are of course rats, squirrels and hamsters, and the huge capybara. They're all rodents, but look nothing alike. Then there are prairie dogs. Despite their name, they're not dogs at all. In fact, they too are rodents.
At first glance, the chubby little critters, who are members of the squirrel (
Scuiridae) family, look like they could be part of Whac-A-Mole-like game (sans the mallet, of course) as they pop their heads out of holes they burrow into the ground.