Escape Hatches
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| Ground squirrels, like this marmot, create dwellings underground in part to hide quickly from predators. |
Animals dig dwellings underground for many reasons. A den or burrow provides relief from extreme heat or cold. it can serve as a nursery for helpless young. some animals store food in their burrows. A handy burrow also provides a safe spot when a predator appears.
Prairie dogs, which live on the grasslands of the united states, build extensive communities of burrows called towns. At the sight of a predator, a prairie dog immediately alerts its family and neighbors with shrill barks. in a flash, the prairie dogs dive into their burrows and out of sight. their tunnels, which spread far, wide, and deep, provide the animals with many hideouts and escape routes.
Diggers, such as chipmunks and ground squirrels, also include emergency exits in their homes. that way, there’s an escape route if a badger digs up the burrow or a snake slips into it. African mammals called meerkats have hundreds of tunnels called “bolt holes” in their territory. if a predator appears, they run, or “bolt,” into them.
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