I have recently read 3 articles from a couple of popular magazines, one from Smithsonian, and the other two from National Geographic. Many farmers and ranchers want to kill them. Me and several other creation stewards and animal lovers would like to try to protect them. Prairie dogs have existed on the prairies far longer than humans, so we should respect the fact that these creatures are here for a purpose. Due to intense slaughtering and habitat destruction, they have been reduced to less than 1% of their original range. When you see a colony of them, don't assume there are prairie dogs everywhere because they are not solitary creatures and there are very few colonies left. Prairie dogs do not reproduce rapidly; females only have one litter every spring. During a trip to Colorado, I have seen only a few prairie dogs here and there. Most fields were overgrown with undesirable weeds, probably due to prairie dog eradication.
If any of you watched the movie Independence Day, here's a good analogy: alien is to human as rancher is to prairie dog. By saying that, I don't mean all ranchers are selfish or evil. Some actively protect prairie dogs. Another reason why not to kill prairie dogs is that they actively coexist with bison and are dependent on one another. In National Geographic and National Wildlife magazines, I've read that horses and cows very rarely get their feet stuck in prairie dog burrows and get their legs broken. This can be avoided by keeping livestock away from areas where prairie dogs are known to exist. Besides, why kill prairie dogs when they have plenty of natural predators as it is? Don't get me wrong; I don't have anything against hunting. Please visit My thoughts on hunting.
One common misconception about prairie dogs is that they are first cousins of rats and mice. That's like saying lemurs are our first cousins. The rodent group is the largest and most diverse of the mammal orders, so only ignorant people think prairie dogs are closely related to rats, or think that all rodents are the same species. The first cousins of prairie dogs lie in the squirrel family, which contains ground squirrels, flying squirrels, tree squirrels, chipmunks, woodchucks and marmots.
Plague: Because prairie dogs are mistakingly thought to be carriers of the plague, there is no reason why people should blame the victim which unfortunately happens frequently. Plague starters are the fleas, not the prairie dogs. These fleas can be controlled by putting strong flea powder around the edges of prairie dog burrows. This shouldn't harm the prairie dogs, but should control the flea problem.
Monkeypox: In 2003, there was a scare about a pet prairie dog that had apparently given someone monkeypox. Many people blew this out of proportion and thought that prairie dogs cause this relatively harmless disease. It actually came from a Gambian giant rat, which spread the virus to the prairie dog.
I have a prairie dog as a pet, and have had 4 others in the past. They are an excellent part of my pet family. I also have 5 flying squirrels, and 2 Richardson Ground Squirrels. In addition, I've had several other pet rodents. I plan to get a chinchilla too. For prairie dog pictures, click here. Not all people who want to save prairie dogs wish to have them as pets. In fact, most believe they should remain in the wild. I may sound hypocritical, but keeping prairie dogs as pets is better than them being poisoned or shot.
Non-Lethal Control: It is important to point out any non-lethal control methods for prairie dogs if they become a "problem," especially in South Dakota. Possible non-lethal control methods include improved range management and erection of barrier fences to restrict town expansion. Scientific research determining what types of habitats and ecological barriers prairie dogs avoid also would also be useful. Such non-lethal barriers, whether natural or man-made, may be planted at the edges of ranches, and should be much cheaper than poisoning. Drought is usually the main reason for prairie dog expansion, because prairie dogs tend to avoid tall grasses where predators would not be easily seen. Controlled waterings may prevent drought. If you live on a ranch, I believe it is necessary to respect ALL the life around you, including the native prairie dogs. Don't allow yourself in a position where killing seems necessary.
Too often in my life, I feel I've been discriminated against based on my beliefs. Click here for details. When I talk about my interest in squirrels on that page, I mean the entire squirrel family including prairie dogs. In addition, people have the wrong impression about the kind of person I am. Who am I? Click here.
As requested by John Boren, a wildlife specialist from the University of New Mexico, I have added some scientific information on why prairie dogs should be protected. Please see the myths and facts below.
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| Myth #1: Prairie Dogs are Everywhere | Actually, there now exists less than 1% of the prairie dog acreage which existed in the past. The small prairie dog acreage remaining is usually in the form of isolated and fragmented colonies, most of which will be unable to sustain prairie dogs in the long run. Especially alarming is the absence of healthy prairie dog complexes (multiple colonies occurring within close proximity of each other) that used to sustain a myriad of associated species which depend on prairie dogs as prey or for the habitat they create. Plague has now compounded the human threats of poisoning, shooting, and habitat destruction. Prairie dogs are not everywhere; rather, the threats to prairie dogs are everywhere. |
| Myth #2: Prairie Dogs Multiply Like Rabbits | In reality, prairie dogs have a very low rate of reproduction compared to other animals the same size. They breed only one time per year, and the average litter size is 3-4 pups. Those animals whose reproduction is having the greatest impact on the environment are, of course, humans, not prairie dogs. |
| Myth #3: Prairie Dogs Spread the Plague | In fact, prairie dogs do not spread the plague, they are too busy dying from it. Prairie dogs lack immunity to plague, and mortality rates exceed 99% of a prairie dog population. Prairie dogs typically die within a few short months after contacting the plague bacterium. Other mammals such as mice, cats, and dogs are plague carriers. Plague in humans is treated easily with standard antibiotics. So it is clear that plague is a much greater threat to prairie dogs than to humans. |
| Myth #4:Prairie dogs ruin rangeland and hurt cattle. | Actually, prairie dogs and cattle have a relationship that is mutually beneficial. Prairie dogs improve the forage for cattle, and cattle grazing allows prairie dog colonies to expand in midgrass prairie. Both cattle and prairie dogs have demonstrated a preference for grazing together, just as bison and prairie dogs historically preferred each other's company. However, given the extensive ecological damage cattle grazing causes in the American West, cattle are not the best substitute for the environmental benefits of a bison- and prairie dog-grazed Great Plains. Despite the belief that prairie dogs and cattle compete for forage, three decades of scientific research finds the claims that prairie dogs are destructive to ranching are grossly overstated. Scientific data has repeatedly proved that cattle who graze on prairie dog colonies do not weigh significantly less than cattle who weigh on uncolonized areas In fact, prairie dog burrowing actually aerates the soil and helps it to absorb water. Their waste even fertilizes the soil. Further, by grazing, clipping and maintaining their grasslands, more nutritious and succulent vegetation grows. Elk, bison, and pronghorn, even cattle all benefit. The myth that cattle break legs in prairie dog holes is just that: myth. |
| Myth #5: No One Will Miss the Prairie Dogs When They're Gone | The fact is, prairie dogs sustain a multitude of wildlife species, several of whom would miss the prairie dogs should they disappear. The black-footed ferret is one of the rarest mammals in the world. The ferret inhabits prairie dog burrows and depends on prairie dogs for over 90% of its dietary needs. The main reason the black-footed ferret is endangered is the war against the prairie dog declared at the turn of the century. The swift fox and ferruginous hawk also depend on prairie dogs for food, and have declined along with prairie dogs. The mountain plover and burrowing owl depend on the habitat prairie dogs create, and they have declined throughout their ranges. There are many others, small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, plants, and insects, whose world is crumbling as prairie dogs and their towns continue to be destroyed. |
| Info from: Rocky Mountain Animal Defense | |
Links to Friends of pd's (goodguy humans):
General Information
Non-prairie dog links I support:
Uneducated Quotes from Prairie Dog Haters/Killers
Disclaimer: This is not an animal rights site, and it does NOT support the looney actions of certain PETA or ALF members. This site is built and maintained by a Christian living in Texas who has been around prairie dogs, and recognizes them as God's creatures. All animals have been created good (Genesis 1:25), we are told to love what is good (Amos 5:14), and not to kill animals just for fun (Leviticus 24:18). Click here to read a positive message for Christian ranchers. Another think I'd like to point out is, anti-prairie doggers often criticize pro-prairie doggers for caring more about "varmints" than children. Their mistake is that I am currently sponsoring a child from Honduras. Perhaps instead of killing prairie dogs, they can spend their time and money helping needy children.
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