Prairie
dogs have been controversial species of prairie ecosystems. They have been reported
to compete with livestock for forage, they carry plague, a human health risk,
and they cause problems for the majority of suburban residents living next to
them. However, concerns about reduced populations of black-tailed prairie dogs
and their importance to other species, such as black-footed ferrets, mountain
plovers, ferruginous hawks, golden eagles, burrowing owls, and swift fox, that
depend upon or utilize prairie dogs or their burrows, has been growing over the
last several years.
For information on managing conflicts with prairie
dogs, see the following:
