GROUND SQUIRRELS

The Uinta Ground Squirrel Exhibit

Uinta ground squirrels may be small, but they play a surprisingly big role in the ecosystems they call home. They are also a lot of fun to watch! Visitors are often captivated as these energetic squirrels dart in and out of their extensive network of underground burrows—disappearing in one location and popping back up in a completely different area moments later.

Beneath the surface, these busy diggers are constantly changing the landscape around them. Ground squirrels are sometimes called the “rototillers of the wild” because their digging helps:

• Loosen, mix, and aerate the soil, improving conditions for plants and other organisms.
• Reduce soil compaction and improve soil fertility by bringing nutrients from deeper layers of soil closer to the surface.
• Increase plant diversity and productivity by bringing buried seeds closer to the surface, where they can germinate.
• Create shelter for other wildlife. Abandoned burrows can provide homes for animals such as burrowing owls, rabbits, and a variety of insects.

The Uinta ground squirrel exhibit helps us share an important conservation message: healthy ecosystems depend on more than just the large, charismatic animals we often think about first. Even small species can have an enormous impact on the world around them.

Come watch these active little diggers!