Endangered Species > Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Black-tailed prairie dogs, once ranging across 100 million acres of grassland in the Great Plains and American Southwest, have dwindled to a mere 1% of their historic acreage.

As the prairie dog declines, so too does a suite of highly dependent wildlife. In fact, prairie dogs are considered keystone species, given their creation of unique habitat and a rich prey base to associated wildlife.

Given their imperiled status, and their role in creating and sustaining a rich and varied world of prairie life, Forest Guardians and a coalition of other conservation and animal protection organizations continue to push for the listing of this embattled keystone species under the Endangered Species Act.

In August 2004, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed this species from the list of candidates for Endangered Species Act listing, which is a tragic set-back for the prairie dog ecosystem in the Great Plains. More than ever, the black-tailed prairie dog needs your help.

Forest Guardians' Deserts & Grasslands Director, Dr. Lauren McCain, co-authored a paper that studies the attitudes of government agency personnel toward black-tailed prairie dogs that was published in Conservation & Society. Click here to read the abstract, and read the paper here (pdf).

For specific questions about our efforts to protect endangered species, contact Dr. Nicole Rosmarino, endangered species program director.