 In 1998,
the National Wildlife Federation petitioned the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service to list the black-tailed prairie dog as a federal
threatened species. In February 2000, the Service announced that
the listing was warranted but precluded by higher listing
priorities, an action that designated the black-tailed prairie dog
as a federal candidate species.
The State of South Dakota has worked cooperatively with ten other
states within the historical range of the black-tailed prairie dog
to demonstrate that state management authority should continue for
this species. State agriculture and wildlife agencies are in the
process of demonstrating that threats to the future of this
ecosystem can be best addressed by states, rather than by the
federal government. As part of that commitment, a citizen advisory
group, the South Dakota Prairie Dog Work Group, was formed to
advise the Departments of Game, Fish and Parks and Agriculture on
development of a state prairie dog management plan.
The State of South Dakota has been actively involved in prairie
dog management planning since 1999. The goal of the state’s
planning effort is to manage for long-term, self-sustaining
prairie dog populations in South Dakota while avoiding negative
impacts to landowners that do not wish to accommodate prairie dogs
on their properties.
The State’s planning effort has included a variety of tools to
seek public input in this complex task of addressing wildlife
needs and agricultural concerns.
Prairie
Dog Complaint Form
Final
Prairie Dog Management Plan 2004 pdf
Prairie Dog Update February 2003 pdf
Prairie Dog Update January 2003 pdf
Prairie Dog Update November 2002 pdf |
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