Burrow

A burrow is a hole or tunnel that was dug into the ground by an animal to create a space that can be used for living or short time shelter. The burrowing way of life is quite popular among the animals. Many animals construct or use burrows in many different types. Mammals are perhaps most well-known for burrowing, especially Insectivora like the voracious mole, and rodents like the fertile gopher and groundhog. The rabbit, a member of the family Lagomorpha, is a well-known burrower. There are estimations that a single groundhog burrow occupies a full cubic meter, displacing 320 kilograms of dirt. Even Carnivora like the meerkat and Marsupials like the kangaroo mouse are burrowers.

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 and clams can burrow into rock. Burrows can also range in complexity from 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.