Post by Bobcat on Oct 22, 2003 8:50:49 GMT -5
10/21/03
By The Associated Press
Four environmental groups want the federal government to move faster in listing the black-tailed prairie dog as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Forest Guardians of Santa Fe, N.M.; the Center for Native Ecosystems of Paonia, Colo.; Biodiversity Conservation Alliance of Laramie, Wyo.; and Predator Conservation Alliance of Denver and Bozeman, Mont., say they will sue if the government doesn't act soon.
In February 2000, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service found the black-tailed prairie dog deserved listing as a threatened species. But the agency delayed an official listing until it finishes with higher-priority species.
Listing the prairie dog as threatened would stop all poisoning or other controls on prairie dogs on both public and private land.
The environmental groups say the animal remains an unprotected species, occupying less than 2 percent of its historic range. The groups accuse the FWS of refusing to make politically controversial, but crucial wildlife decisions required under the Endangered Species Act.
''Black-tailed prairie dogs continue to be assaulted with numerous threats, including poisoning, shooting, urban sprawl, and oil and gas development,'' said Nicole Rosmarino, endangered species director for Forest Guardians.
Although the FWS likely will respond to the groups, the lawsuit threat probably will not expedite the listing process, said Chuck Davis, endangered-species listing coordinator for the FWS in Denver.
The black-tailed prairie dog has been listed as a Priority 8 for several years, he said. The priority rating - with the lowest priority at 12 - is based on the immediacy of threat to the species, he said. The service currently has about 200 species that are candidates for listing, Davis said.
Meanwhile, South Dakota officials say they will provide new prairie dog population data to the service at its next review, along with a request to drop the animal from the candidate list.
The first phase of an aerial survey in South Dakota this year found about 7,000 prairie dog towns in South Dakota, said George Vandel of the state Game, Fish & Parks Department.
Digital photographs from the second phase of the aerial survey are determining how many acres each town covers.
''Common sense would tell you that 7,000 is a lot of prairie dog towns,'' Vandel said.
The prairie dog towns are distributed across western South Dakota and even some parts of eastern South Dakota, he said.
Based on the survey and an increasing number of landowner complaints, prairie dog numbers probably have increased in the past few years, said Vandel. Ranchers bordering the national grasslands are seeing increasing numbers of prairie dogs coming from the federal property and ruining their pastures, he said.
The other western states in the prairie dog range plan also plan to submit new population data and request dropping the animal from the candidate list, said Vandel.
By The Associated Press
Four environmental groups want the federal government to move faster in listing the black-tailed prairie dog as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Forest Guardians of Santa Fe, N.M.; the Center for Native Ecosystems of Paonia, Colo.; Biodiversity Conservation Alliance of Laramie, Wyo.; and Predator Conservation Alliance of Denver and Bozeman, Mont., say they will sue if the government doesn't act soon.
In February 2000, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service found the black-tailed prairie dog deserved listing as a threatened species. But the agency delayed an official listing until it finishes with higher-priority species.
Listing the prairie dog as threatened would stop all poisoning or other controls on prairie dogs on both public and private land.
The environmental groups say the animal remains an unprotected species, occupying less than 2 percent of its historic range. The groups accuse the FWS of refusing to make politically controversial, but crucial wildlife decisions required under the Endangered Species Act.
''Black-tailed prairie dogs continue to be assaulted with numerous threats, including poisoning, shooting, urban sprawl, and oil and gas development,'' said Nicole Rosmarino, endangered species director for Forest Guardians.
Although the FWS likely will respond to the groups, the lawsuit threat probably will not expedite the listing process, said Chuck Davis, endangered-species listing coordinator for the FWS in Denver.
The black-tailed prairie dog has been listed as a Priority 8 for several years, he said. The priority rating - with the lowest priority at 12 - is based on the immediacy of threat to the species, he said. The service currently has about 200 species that are candidates for listing, Davis said.
Meanwhile, South Dakota officials say they will provide new prairie dog population data to the service at its next review, along with a request to drop the animal from the candidate list.
The first phase of an aerial survey in South Dakota this year found about 7,000 prairie dog towns in South Dakota, said George Vandel of the state Game, Fish & Parks Department.
Digital photographs from the second phase of the aerial survey are determining how many acres each town covers.
''Common sense would tell you that 7,000 is a lot of prairie dog towns,'' Vandel said.
The prairie dog towns are distributed across western South Dakota and even some parts of eastern South Dakota, he said.
Based on the survey and an increasing number of landowner complaints, prairie dog numbers probably have increased in the past few years, said Vandel. Ranchers bordering the national grasslands are seeing increasing numbers of prairie dogs coming from the federal property and ruining their pastures, he said.
The other western states in the prairie dog range plan also plan to submit new population data and request dropping the animal from the candidate list, said Vandel.
