Black-tailed prairie dog News

Prairie dogs play a critical role across the North American Great Plains, and researchers are learning every day just how much these industrious squirrels do for their neighbors.

Each spring, the Northern Great Plains erupts with life as migratory birds return to build nests and raise their young. Smithsonian researchers are studying these grassland birds that nets in areas inhabited by prairie dogs.

A family meal among prairie dogs, the soothing sounds of a cheetah’s purr and a Pride cake fit for a giant panda. As summer kicks off at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, we’re sharing some moments from June that sparked joy.

At their field site in north-central Montana, ecologist Andy Boyce and intern Andrew Dreelin are learning more about how black-tailed prairie dogs change the landscape and support the many species that call the prairie home.

Behold a brunch between a sloth and a golden lion tamarin, catch a close-up of newborn black-footed ferret kits and get a glimpse of giant pandas gorging themselves on bamboo shoots. All of these events (and more) made for a memorable May at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology...