FAQs

Click on a question below for information.

•What is a black-tailed prairie dog?

• How do black-tailed prairie dogs live?

• Why are black-tailed prairie dogs so important to the prairie ecosystem?

• Are black-tailed prairie dogs protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act?

• Is the state of Colorado working to help preserve the black-tailed prairie dog?

• Is it legal to poison prairie dogs in Colorado?

• Are other states working to help preserve the prairie dogs?

• What is the biggest obstacle in finding solutions to help prairie dogs?

• What about National Grasslands and other public lands in Colorado? Can prairie dogs find refuge there?

• Why do ranchers believe that prairie dogs compete with cattle and need to be eradicated?

• Because prairie dogs can carry the plague, do they pose a significant risk to humans?

• Does poisoning prairie dog colonies ensure human safety from the plague?

• What can I do to help the black-tailed prairie dog in Colorado?

• Why spend so much time and energy on saving a little rodent who constantly conflicts with human activity?

What is a black-tailed prairie dog?
Black-tailed prairie dogs are not "dogs" at all but burrowing, herbivorous animals who belong to the squirrel family. Although there are other species of prairie dogs (white-tailed, Utah, Gunnison's and Mexican), black-tailed prairie dogs are distinct in their appearance and habitat. Black-tailed prairie dogs tend to be somewhat larger than the other species and have a longer tail with a black tip. Although all prairie dogs live on western North American grasslands, black-tailed prairie dogs occupy short- and mixed-grass prairies in a belt that runs north-south along the eastern side of the Rocky Mountain range (from northern Canada to southern Mexico).

How do black-tailed prairie dogs live?
Black-tailed prairie dogs are very social animals who live in territorial family groups called coteries. A coterie usually contains an adult male, one or more adult females, and their young. As young male prairie dogs mature, they move out of their home coterie in order to find or create new coteries. Coteries are clustered together in wards (or subdivisions) to form larger towns or colonies, which create increased protection from predators. Wards are usually divided by topographical features such as trees or hills. Interactions are mostly amicable among prairie dogs belonging to the same coterie and involve verbal communications, play and grooming. Interactions among prairie dogs from different coteries tend to be less friendly and even hostile, involving territorial disputes and associated aggressive behaviors.

Black-tailed prairie dogs have an amazingly complex system of communication that involves a variety of verbal sounds and behavioral displays. One of these, the "jump-yip" display, is a territorial call in which they stand up on their hind legs and throw their forefeet up in the air, emitting a two-note call. They also have a variety of pitched warning barks that signal different types of predators. Prairie dogs also communicate through smell and touch, often greeting by touching each other's mouths (hence the appearance of kissing).

In fact, recent research indicates a high degree of sophistication in prairie dog communication. They can distinguish between people wearing different colored clothing and people exhibiting either threatening or nonthreatening types of behavior. In addition, prairie dogs use sounds in different orders and at various speeds, suggesting a grammatical component to their communication. These findings have led Con Slobodchikoff, a researcher studying prairie dog communications at Northern Arizona University, to assert that they "have one of the most advanced forms of natural language known to science."

Prairie dogs live in networks of underground tunnels and burrows with one or more openings to the surface. These burrows can be very extensive, with separate underground chambers used for sleeping, rearing young, storing food and eliminating waste. The openings, or burrow entrances, are distinguishable by the mounds of dirt surrounding them and serve as protection against both predators and the weather. Black-tailed prairie dogs spend much of their time above ground (with periodic submergences into their burrows) during daylight hours, but they retreat underground for the night.

Why are black-tailed prairie dogs so important to the prairie ecosystem?
Black-tailed prairie dogs are so important because they are a keystone species of the prairie. Along with bison and other burrowing animals, they were largely responsible for the rich diversity of life on the western plains. Although that has changed over the last century with their decimation, prairie dogs still help to sustain many other vertebrate species on the prairie today.

Their burrowing activity works to loosen and churn up the soil, increasing its fertility. This helps to sustain plant life, which in turn helps to sustain animal life. The burrows themselves can act as homes to other creatures, such as burrowing owls, badgers, rabbits, black-footed ferrets, snakes and insects. The foraging and feeding practices of prairie dogs (grazing, clipping and even defecating) positively impact the environment by creating more nutritious and nitrogen-rich plants and grasses. Their activities also enable a more diverse mixture of grasses and forbs (broad-leafed vegetation) to grow, attracting an array of wildlife creatures who come to graze in their colonies on the enriched vegetation. It is for this reason that bison and black-tailed prairie dogs have historically preferred each other's company and explains why cattle and black-tailed prairie dogs are compatible as well.

Lastly, black-tailed prairie dogs play an integral role in the prairie food chain. They are a critical food source for such animals as the endangered black-footed ferret, swift fox, coyotes, hawks, eagles and badgers. The extinction of the black-tailed prairie dog would clearly be catastrophic for the entire Great Plains ecosystem.

Are black-tailed prairie dogs protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act?
The black-tailed prairie dog has no federal protection. The species was a candidate under the Federal Endangered Species Act until the Federal Government, acting on politics and not science, removed the species from the candidate list in August 2004.

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Is the state of Colorado working to help preserve the black-tailed prairie dog?
NO. Colorado has demonstrated a profound lack of tolerance for the black-tailed prairie dog. State policies continue to allow and encourage the decimation of this animal. The black-tailed prairie dog is still designated by Colorado's Department of Agriculture as a "pest" species that needs to be eradicated. Political opposition has been and continues to be intense, most visibly stemming from Governor Bill Owens, his Department of Natural Resources Director Greg Walcher, the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar, and the Colorado Division of Wildlife. All of those individuals and agencies contradict the U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) finding that the black-tailed prairie dog is biologically imperiled. Instead, these individuals and agencies assert that prairie dogs are common, widespread and undeserving of federal protection. In fact, Greg Walcher, Ken Salazar, and the director of Colorado's Department of Agriculture, Don Ament, threatened legal action if the USFWS listed the black-tailed prairie dog as a threatened species. The audacity of this threat is apparent when one remembers that the USFWS is required to base its decision solely on scientific, biological considerations. In other words, these Colorado policy makers do not care that this species is biologically threatened and are, in fact, demanding that the USFWS violate the Endangered Species Act and base its listing on political considerations.

Since the USFWS' "warranted but precluded" classification, the state of Colorado has come out with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) covering prairie dogs within the state. This, however, does NOT mean that Colorado state officials and agencies have had a change of heart. THE MOU IS MERELY A DOCUMENT DECLARING THE STATE'S INTENTION TO COLLECT INFORMATION ABOUT THE BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOG AND DOES NOT PROVIDE ONE IOTA OF PROTECTION FOR THE SPECIES. Given that Colorado is already poised on the brink of ecosystemic decline with the reduction in prairie dogs, the MOU's plan to continue to "collect data" appears to be nothing more than a stalling tactic.

In addition, Colorado passed a law, C.R.S. 35-7-203, that places overwhelming bureaucratic hurdles in the way of prairie dog relocation. Before prairie dogs can be relocated across county lines (in an effort to establish and strengthen habitats away from growing urban areas), permission must be obtained from the receiving board of county commissioners. However, because Colorado officials view prairie dogs as pests, permission is next to impossible to attain.

Is it legal to poison prairie dogs in Colorado?
Some cities, such as Boulder, restrict prairie dog poisoning under certain circumstances. Some county ordinances also may contain restrictions. State law provides very few restrictions on poisoning.

Outside of municipal and county restrictions, anyone is permitted to poison using gas cartridges. Only restricted-use-pesticide licensees can use the other pesticides approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for prairie dogs (i.e., aluminum phosphide and zinc phosphide).

Zinc phosphide may be used only in rural areas; it is forbidden in urban areas.

The EPA mandates and approves pesticide labels for all use within the United States. All of these labels contain restrictions on how the pesticide may be used. For example, although there are many aluminum phosphide (AP) products, only certain AP products are approved for use against prairie dogs. Also, the labels specify how the product is to be applied. It's a violation of federal law to use a product in a manner inconsistent with the label. To see a sample aluminum phosphide label (in PDF format), click here.

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Are other states working to help preserve the prairie dogs?
No. States within the range of the prairie dog have demonstrated profound antagonism toward them -- state policies and state lands do not protect prairie dogs. Few "bag limits" or seasonal restrictions on shooting prairie dogs exist. Several states even have laws that encourage private landowners to poison prairie dogs on their land if neighbors complain. Many state agriculture departments have designated prairie dogs as a pest species and encourage eradication.

Wyoming and Arizona have rejected proposed prairie dog management plans. Other states, including Colorado, haven't even drafted plans. Other states have adopted plans with inadequate protections from poisoning, shooting, bulldozing, and plowing.

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What is the biggest obstacle in finding solutions to help prairie dogs?
The biggest obstacle is, without a doubt, continuing negative perceptions and attitudes toward the prairie dog. Such attitudes are difficult to change and affect major political and land management decisions. Until public officials and agencies acknowledge the importance of the black-tailed prairie dogs and the prairie ecosystem they help to sustain, state and local policies will continue to sanction the destruction of prairie dog colonies and overlook the need for designated preservation land.

What about National Grasslands and other public lands in Colorado? Can prairie dogs find refuge there?
NO, not as things currently stand. Although approximately 3 million acres of national grasslands are in the range of the black-tailed prairie dog, few of these acres are inhabited by them. Most national grasslands manage well under 1 percent of their total acreage for prairie dogs, despite having vast acreage suitable for occupation. This extreme imbalance can be attributed to the relentless persecution of prairie dogs by the ranching community–yes, even on public lands! On national grasslands, prairie dogs encounter extensive poisoning and shooting from intolerant ranchers who mistakenly insist that their cattle and other livestock, who graze on national grasslands, cannot coexist with prairie dogs.

Prairie dogs are even poisoned and shot in national parks, which are supposed to be managed FOR native wildlife and their habitats!

Colorado recently outlawed prairie dog shootings on federal lands within its borders. (Unfortunately, this prohibition does not apply to Colorado state and private lands. Private landowners can still shoot prairie dogs if they claim the animals are doing damage, a claim that essentially requires no validation.) Outlawing shooting on federal lands is a good first step, but the threats of poisoning and habitat destruction in Colorado remain. Colorado is, in general, shockingly permissive about the continuing destruction of prairie dogs and the land they inhabit.

Why do ranchers believe that prairie dogs compete with cattle and need to be eradicated?
Traditions and beliefs that are passed down from generation to generation are hard to change. Beliefs about the conflicts between prairie dogs and cattle can be traced to C. Hart Merriam, who was chief of the U.S. Biological Survey (the precursor to today's Department of Agriculture) at the beginning of the 20th century. His belief that prairie dogs robbed cattle of 50 percent to 75 percent of their forage led to the idea that prairie dogs should be eradicated to make the Great Plains safe for cattle. This thinking caused irreparable damage, as millions of prairie dogs were poisoned in the early 1900s. This belief endures to the present day, despite overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary. The Journal of Range Management, a publication devoted to the development of the livestock industry, has published a number of studies showing that prairie dog competition with livestock is negligible and that killing prairie dogs is not economically beneficial to ranchers. It has now been demonstrated for more than 20 years that prairie dogs do not pose a significant economic threat to ranching.

Many ranchers also hold on to the belief that their cattle and horses are at high risk of breaking their legs in prairie dog burrows. Again, there is no scientific evidence to support this. To the contrary, prairie dog burrows are probably highly visible to horses and cattle because of their surrounding mounds. Indeed, given their preference for grazing in prairie dog towns, cattle and horses may be more adept at navigating around burrows. Fear seems to be reinforced among ranchers through unsubstantiated anecdotes: everyone claims to have heard a story about a rancher whose horse or cow broke a leg, but it has never happened to them.

Because prairie dogs can carry the plague, do they pose a significant risk to humans?
No. Fears of humans contracting the plague from prairie dogs are exaggerated and generally used as an excuse for extermination. Only 47 cases of plague have been reported in Colorado since 1957, and only about 10 of those have been linked to prairie dogs. Of those 10, only one resulted in a fatality.

The Colorado Department of Health states, "If precautions are taken, the probability of an individual contracting plague, even in an active plague area, is quite low." Dozens of RMAD volunteers who have spent years of direct contact with prairie dogs during flushing and relocation are testaments to this fact. Rescuers worked without gloves and insecticides and were occasionally bitten, but no one contracted the plague or any other illness.

The plague is transmitted to people through fleabite and direct contact with infected animals. The most common means of human infection is from cats and dogs, who can contract plague by catching and eating infected animals or by being bitten by infective fleas. This underlines the need to keep cats and dogs out of prairie dog colonies.

For more information, download our Prairie Dogs, People and the Plague fact sheet.

Does poisoning prairie dog colonies ensure human safety from the plague?
No. According to the Colorado Department of Health, poisoning of prairie dogs should not be employed because this releases fleas to the environment, causing additional risk to people and domestic pets.

For more information, download our Prairie Dogs, People and the Plague fact sheet.

What can I do to help the black-tailed prairie dog in Colorado?
Plenty! For details, check out the How You Can Help section on this Web site. You can help educate others about the plight of the black-tailed prairie dog in our state. Whenever you hear people repeating a myth about prairie dogs, set them straight. Refer them to this Web site. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Send us a copy of your letter or any links of interest. Let us know whenever you see an issue regarding prairie dogs, whether it's a national issue or an issue in your own backyard.

Why spend so much time and energy on saving a little rodent who constantly conflicts with human activity?
All animals—including prairie dogs—have a right to live and to be free from human-imposed suffering. Prairie dogs have families, raise pups, and interact socially.
What's more, when prairie dogs suffer, many other animals suffer, too, because (1) prairie dog burrows—even in urban environments—are homes for rabbits, salamanders, snakes, and burrowing owls, to name just a few, and (2) prairie dogs serve a vital prey function.

Even if you're not a fan of black-tailed prairie dogs, think about the entire ecosystem that they help to sustain. If you enjoy hearing the calls of hawks and eagles and seeing these birds soar overhead, you'll want to save the prairie dog. If you think wolves, coyotes and swift foxes are worthwhile creatures to have around in our state, you'll want to save the prairie dog. If you like burrowing owls or mountain plovers or black-footed ferrets, you'll want to save the prairie dog. If you think any of these will survive for long without the black-tailed prairie dog, think again.

We are losing the entire Great Plains ecosystem because sprawl is destroying prairie dog lands in urban areas and because of enduring myths that prairie dogs conflict with livestock ranching in rural areas. We need to work together to save the Great Plains ecosystem, and we need to start by protecting the black-tailed prairie dog.

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