Come Nose To Nose With These Busy Little Burrowers
The Uinta Ground Squirrel Exhibit
Uinta Ground Squirrels are very amusing and entertaining to watch. Their enclosure is made up of an extensive network of underground burrows. Visitors have become mesmerized by watching them disappear into one burrow and show up in a completely different area moments later.
As an important component of ecosystems Ground Squirrels will:
- Loosen, move, mix, and aerate soils. They are the rototillers of the wild!
- Reduce soil compaction and increase soil fertility by bringing nutrients from deep soil layers to the surface.
- Increase plant productivity and diversity by bringing buried seeds near the surface.
- Dig dens which provide homes for other animals like burrowing owls, rabbits, and insects.
The addition of the Uinta Ground Squirrel exhibit has helped to enhance our mission, by bringing attention to the importance of an entire ecosystem.
