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Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Synomys Species: ludovicianus
Black-tailed Prairie Dog |
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Description
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Author: Rachel McCaffrey Site created by: Rachael McCormick Site Maintained by: Dr. Mark Wallace
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Status Black-tailed prairie dog populations have drastically decreased across much of their former range, and as a result, the USFWS had been petitioned by the National Wildlife Federation to list the species as threatened. In February of 2000, the USFWS issued their response to the petition, acknowledging that listing of the species is "warranted but precluded" (Associated Press 2000). This classification indicates that the USFWS considers the black-tailed prairie dog to be a threatened species warranting listing, but that at this time, the resources are not available to dedicate to this effort. As a result, the black-tailed prairie dog has been added to a list of other candidates for threatened status under the Endangered Species Act, and its status will be reviewed annually. In the meantime, measures to conserve the prairie dog are being enacted on federal public lands, and the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management have agreed to stop their poisoning programs (National Wildlife Federation 2000). In addition, the USFWS’s recent decision has prompted many state agencies to re-evaluate their management of this species, with more of a focus on conservation than eradication. Presently, most states have formed prairie dog working groups to address the situation and formulate new management guidelines, though as of now only Montana has released a conservation plan (Montana Working Group 1999). Following is an overview of the status of the black-tailed prairie dog and management guidelines of the species within each state in their range, as of March 2000. As prairie dog working groups develop new management guidelines, the status of the prairie dogs within many of these states is expected to change. Black-tailed prairie dog status by state
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