Smithsonian National Zoo in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Prairie Dogs
Smithsonian Scientists At Work
— With the help of National Zoo scientists, captive-bred ferrets are now being released into the wild! —
Home on the range?
In the early 1900s, as farmers and ranchers moved west, black-tailed prairie dog habitat was converted into crops and grassland for cattle.
Today, only small, scattered populations of prairie dogs are found mainly in protected parks and wildlife refuges.
The decline of the prairie dog threatens many other species. Their burrows act as homes for owls and badgers, and prairie dogs are a critical food source for many endangered animals.
Did you know?
Black-footed ferrets were once a main predator of prairie dogs. The ferrets lived in prairie dog burrows and hunted at night. So when the number of prairie dogs fell, the black-footed ferret population nearly died out.
Erected by Smithsonian Institution.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Environment • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1900.
Location. 38° 55.707′ N, 77° 2.845′ W. Marker is in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Smithsonian National Zoo. Marker is on Olmsted Walk. On the grounds of the Smithsonian National Zoological Garden. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3001 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20008, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8
this page online
More about this marker. To learn even more about prairie dogs and ferrets, visit our exhibit in the Small Mammal House.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 17, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 154 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 17, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
