WASHINGTON (AP) — Prairie dogs are the Paul Reveres of the Great Plains: They bark to alert neighbors to the presence of predators, with separate calls for dangers coming by land or by air. “Prairie ...

When I headed to Montana to visit the American Prairie, I had bison on my mind. They are the quintessential plains animal and North America’s largest land mammal. But what I didn’t expect was for a ...

Wild black-tailed prairie dogs use alarm calls to warn one another of predators, and some grassland birds are listening in. Photo credit: Andrew Dreelin, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation ...

A long-billed curlew flies over the Great Plains. New research suggests the birds react to danger more quickly when they hear prairie dog alarm calls. Andy Boyce, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and ...

Poppy the prairie dog happily munches on a fresh ear of corn with great enthusiasm.

Secure your very own Poppy the prairie dog plushie by joining the pre-order list for these cuddly companions today.

Soil nutrients support plants, and the animals who consume plants return these nutrients to the soil, creating a nutrient cycle. In a new study published in Ecology, scientists from the Smithsonian's ...