Black-tailed
prairie dogs are currently found in less than 2% of the area they
inhabited only a century ago. The population reduction has resulted
from a number of factors, including intensive control programs, conversion
of habitat to croplands, a disease known as sylvatic plague, urbanization,
and unregulated recreational shooting. Management of this species
varies significantly across its range, where its standing or classification
by different states includes "extirpated," "small game species," "wildlife,"
"rodent and vertebrate pest," and "species of special concern." In the
public eye, its importance varies just as broadly, with polarized
viewpoints ranging from "tremendous ecological importance to prairie
lands" to "pest." The following resources provide additional information
on the life history and management of the black-tailed prairie dog.
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.fort.usgs.gov/resources/spotlight/prairiedogs/pdog_facts.asp
Page Contact Information: AskFORT
Page Last Modified: 5:22:04 AM
