Throughout the Denver/Boulder metro area, a significant issue at hand is what to do about the massive population of prairie dogs within the area. Knowing that prairie dogs are disease carrying (they carry ticks and fleas, and have been known to carry the Bubonic plague and Rabies) and observing the destruction they cause to once-beautiful fields within the urban areas of the area, it is sometimes hard to have much sympathy for the rodents.
Some believe that prairie dogs are nothing more than pests to humans and other animals, interfering in the creation of safe parks and recreation areas for the people of the area to enjoy without taking precaution. That said, they are living creatures and most people do not believe that they deserve to simply be exterminated. PETA and Prairie Dog Coalition members along with many of the outdoorsy, nature-friendly people of the area - Boulder citizens in particular -- are pushing the state to do something besides kill the prairie dogs. In many cases, they are even against the city interfering with the prairie dogs in any way, and/or destroying their natural habitats. More family-oriented people and even some animal rights advocates want the prairie dogs out -- to these people, they are too much of a disturbance and a health risk to simply be left in commonly used parks, fields and backyards.
Public opinion set aside, there are other pros and cons to the prairie dog population. Prairie dogs are a part of the Western ecosystem, and their activities support the development of certain plant species and animal populations. At the same time, their habits also interfere with the environment in some cases. On land inhabited by livestock and other wild animals, overgrazing by prairie dogs can cause unhealthy competition between species, especially during periods of drought. Their digging can also cause erosion and watershed issues.
Obviously, not everyone can be pleased when creating a removal/control policy. The problem seems to be ignored by the government, so naturally private "prairie dog removal" services have emerged throughout the area -- these services can only really help people with prairie dogs that have invaded their own private property due to policies in place. Due to the overwhelming amounts of open space and public parks/trails in Colorado that prairie dogs happen to inhabit, this minor sector of removal is just not enough.
Although some people will not be happy with the results, action NEEDS to be taken at the state level. There are numerous ways to control the prairie dogs but only two feasible solutions. Economically, it would make the most sense to simply exterminate prairie dogs in locations where they are a threat to humans -- it is relatively cheap to conduct a mass extermination, as prairie dog tunnel systems are complex and more importantly, CONNECTED. I, however, think that killing prairie dogs is a bit extreme. Relocation can cost about $30-$300 per prairie dog. Once a good system and reliable professionals are established (maybe the state could join forces with the existing private prairie dog removal specialists), I believe that this cost would drop quickly -- this would definitely make it worth it to relocate prairie dogs to a site where they would no longer be threatening to humans, other plants and animals, and the ecosystem.
You go on about how much of a bother prairie dogs are to local ecosystems, but you don't mention at all how they are a natural part of it. They are not an invasive species and in fact, from what I recall, they were nearly completely eradicated several times before, and their current populations are located on areas significantly smaller than their previous range. This had mostly been due to ranchers (as the holes caused cattle to become crippled after breaking their legs in them), but after they were gone, their benefits soon became apparent.
ReplyDeleteThey are a keystone species, and most of the other species in the area rely on them. The near extinction of the blackfooted ferret was due in large part to the diminishing of the prairie dog populations. Numerous other predators also rely on them. They also help control the populations of local plants and weeds, keeping them trimmed down and not allowing them to explode in growth. They may be appear to be in competition with cattle, but according to the zoo (this information might be outdated) they eat a different part of the plant, allowing for their coexistence.
I agree that more people need to acknowledge that prairie dogs are a keystone species. If their population is really that high that it's becoming a problem, eventually natural cycles will take over to cause the population to decrease again. If there are too many prairie dogs, eventually their food sources will dwindle and then the population will begin to decline and thin itself out. It's like the lynx and the hare; their populations fluctuate in relation to each other, but eventually mother nature always has a way of balancing itself out again and maintaining the status quo.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't the best solution be to relocate more coyotes into the area? I cannot help to think this would be a far simpler and cost-effective solution. When I was in Estes Park they seemed to maintain a relatively stable prairie dog population this way.
ReplyDeleteThey are a keystone species, but this doesn't mean their population should not be kept in control.
I totally agree with the fact that prairie dogs are not hardly a severe threat to the environment - the real problem is that people simply do not like them invading municipal parks, open space and other areas where they "interfere" with the natural beauty. Dragonsowl I don't think you understand that these animals are EVERYWHERE - people don't feel safe or welcomed in public parks anymore. The efforts to deal with the problem are a total disaster, simply because of the extreme preservationist attitude in Boulder.
ReplyDeleteThe short part I wrote about how they can potentially interfere with other plants and animals was just some additional information that I found - I just thought ALL aspects of a problem should be considered before attempting to build an optimal solution.