Dear Mr. McCloskey:

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 the Division of Wildlife, as the agency responsible for managing wildlife in Colorado, to take an active, assertive role in protecting black-tailed prairie dogs. This includes the following steps:

1. Close the season on prairie dog shooting and designate the prairie dog as a nongame species, given its imperiled status.
2. Open up suitable state wildlife areas to prairie dog protection and relocation, given the displacement of prairie dogs by development in urban areas.
3. Enforce Amendment 14 as it was written, which should include prohibiting the poisoning of prairie dog colonies because of the existence of protected species that are found in prairie dog burrows.
4. Set standards that call for credible, experienced wildlife relocators to work with prairie dogs but expedite the process to accommodate the growing number of colonies that need relocation.
5. Place a moratorium on all poisoning of prairie dog colonies along the Front Range, given the alarming increase in poisoning and bulldozing in recent months.

Allowing the destruction of black-tailed prairie dogs to continue 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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