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 a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its natural environment relative to its abundance. Such species are described as playing a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community, affecting many other organisms in an ecosystem and helping to determine the types and numbers of various other species in the community. A keystone species is a plant or animal that plays a unique and crucial role in the way an ecosystem functions. 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, burrowing owls, Ferruginous hawks, fox 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. But the widespread destruction of prairie dog colonies and the arrival of the exotic disease 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 offers a great opportunity to view this important species in their habitat.