Dear Mr. George:

I am writing to express my concern over the plight of the black-tailed prairie dog. Because these animals are both biologically threatened and a keystone species to the prairie ecosystem, there is extreme urgency in providing them with protection.

I urge you to promote meaningful protection for this species from the multiple threats of poisoning, bulldozing, and shooting that occur every day. Current strategies, like Colorado's Memorandum of Understanding for Prairie Dog Management, do nothing to provide such protection. We are long past the point of collecting data on prairie dogs and instead urgently need pro-active measures to ensure their survival.

Allowing the destruction of black-tailed prairie dogs to continue also severely jeopardizes the survival of the 170 other species who depend on them. Many people, including myself, choose to live in Colorado because of the wonderful abundance of wildlife. Failing to protect the black-tailed prairie dog means failing to protect the foundation of an entire ecosystem that is Colorado's heritage. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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