Their gnawing and damming reduce flooding and wildfire damage, preserve fish populations, and conserve freshwater reservoirs.
15
Rats
Rats with their keen sense of smell and trainability, they’ve been found to be exceptionally suited to work as landmine detectors.
5
Squirrels
These forgetful little creature have a big impact when their forgotten nut stashes take root and grow into the trees and forests that sustain our ecosystem.
20
Elephants
During dry seasons, elephants use their large tusks to dig for water—providing some much-needed relief from the heat for other animals.