🌾 “Prairie dogs are ecosystem engineers. As they go about their lives, they change their surroundings in ways that provide shelter, food and even nurseries for other species. On the grasslands of Montana, prairie dog colonies are islands of biodiversity. . . . 🌾 “Their burrows provide homes for many animals, including burrowing owls, badgers, swift fox, tiger salamanders, gopher snakes and black-footed ferrets, to name a few. The closely-cropped grass lawns they keep around their colonies are

73K views · 868 reactions | Prairie dogs in Grand Canyon National Park exhibit an interesting behavior after a kit fox kills one of their own. See for yourself: | National Geographic TV | Facebook

Prairie dogs are ecosystem engineers whose landscaping helps define the North American Great Plains. This species of ground squirrel spends a whopping 70% of their lives in subterranean burrows. For the first time, Smithsonian researchers are tracking these underground underdogs as they head below the surface. Their goal? A better understanding of a keystone species whose survival impacts hundreds of North American grassland species, including the critically endangered black-footed ferret. Learn