🌾 “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

5.7K views · 130 reactions |  Our scientists are painting a picture of wildlife on the prairie with thousands of camera trap photos at American Prairie Reserve #WeSaveSpecies #Ecology #Prairie #Montana More ➡️https://s.si.edu/2TsvBOH | Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute | Facebook