Burrow

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Burrow (disambiguation).

A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of shelter against predation and exposure to the elements.

A wide variety of animals construct or use burrows in many different types of substrate. Rodents are perhaps most well-known for burrowing, especially the prolific gopher and groundhog (one expert estimates that a single groundhog burrow occupies a full cubic meter, displacing 320 kilograms of dirt). Other examples of burrowing animals include a number of insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds, among many others.

Burrows can be constructed into a wide variety of substrates. Kangaroo mice construct burrows in fine sand. Termites construct burrows in wood. Some sea urchins can burrow into rock. Burrows can also range in complexity to a simple tube a few centimeters long to a complex network of interconnecting tunnels and chambers hundreds or thousands of meters in total length, such as a well-developed rabbit warren.