Dear Secretary Norton:

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.

However, time is running out for the black-tailed prairie dog. Populations are at 1 percent of their historic numbers and declining. The U.S. Department of the Interior must take an active, assertive role in protecting the black-tailed prairie dog from the multiple threats of poisoning, bulldozing, and shooting. This should include the following:

• Close the season on prairie dog shooting on federally owned lands and designating the prairie dog as a non-game species, given its imperiled status.
• Ensure the recent ban on poisoning prairie dog colonies on federal lands is enforced and permanent.
• Open up national grasslands and other federally owned lands to relocation efforts for prairie dogs displaced by development in urban areas.

Allowing the destruction of black-tailed prairie dogs to continue severely jeopardizes the survival of many other species who depend on them. Failing to protect the black-tailed prairie dog means failing to protect the foundation of an entire ecosystem that is the heritage of the Great Plains. Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,

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