Prairie Dog Colony

Prairie dogs are considered a “keystone” species because their colonies create islands of habitat that benefit approximately 150 other species.

A keystone species is an organism that plays a unique and crucial role in an ecosystem. They play a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community affecting many other organisms in an ecosystem. Without keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether.

Prairie dogs are a food source for many animals, including bald eagles, Ferruginous hawks, foxes, and coyotes. Many species, like burrowing owls, use their burrows as homes. Prairie dogs even help aerate and fertilize the soil allowing a greater diversity of plants to thrive. However, the widespread destruction of prairie dog colonies and the arrival of the exotic plague in the 1900s reduced prairie dogs by more than 95 percent.

Standley Lake is home to several prairie dog colonies around the park. This colony is one of the smaller colonies, but it offers a great opportunity to view this important species in its habitat.