<\/p>\n
As the prairie dog population in La Plata County rises and wreaks havoc on landowners, the presence of the often-reviled rodent has some hoping for an unconventional solution: the plague.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are a big problem, and it\u2019s a constant battle,\u201d said Dave James, who has ranched in the Animas Valley north of Durango for more than 50 years. \u201cThe plague would help.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the past 10 years or so, farmers, ranchers and land managers in Southwest Colorado have noted the uptick in prairie dog colonies and the growing frustrations with them.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s gradually gotten worse and worse,\u201d said Ben Bain, weed control coordinator for La Plata County.<\/p>\n
Bain said prairie dogs started taking a foothold in the early 2000s, when the area was experiencing a drought, which killed vegetation and resulted in more wide-open spaces \u2013 the ideal habitat for the burrowing rodent.<\/p>\n
Prairie dogs live in a complex network of tunnels, with different rooms for sleeping, storing food and breeding. Their colonies usually consist of one male, one or more females and a litter of three to four pups.<\/p>\n
Landowners have free range to limit prairie dog numbers, primarily through shooting or gassing them, but even so, the animal\u2019s ability to endure and reproduce makes it feel like a losing battle.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year, they were horrific,\u201d said Wayne Semler, who ranches near Bayfield. \u201cAnd they\u2019re as bad this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no question: Prairie dogs have an outstanding impact on ranchers trying to make a living where colonies flourish.<\/p>\n
Colonies dig a network of tunnels and holes, which pose a risk to livestock grazing on the land. James said it\u2019s a $3,000 financial hit if one of your cattle breaks a leg from stepping in a prairie dog hole.<\/p>\n
The holes can also break equipment. Just the other day, Semler said an axle broke on one of his rigs after hitting a prairie dog hole, which not only costs money to repair but takes time to fix \u2013 time not spent working the land.<\/p>\n
And, prairie dogs\u2019 voracious appetite can take out whole fields \u2013 land that was meant for cattle to graze.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an attack on my livelihood,\u201d Semler said. \u201cAll those costs add up.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no clear path toward striking a balance between prairie dog populations and the demands of ranchers and farmers. Shooting and gassing the animal can temporarily help, but populations quickly rebound.<\/p>\n
And, if your neighbor isn\u2019t on top of keeping numbers down, the animals can just go under the fence.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot having huge populations would be ideal,\u201d Bain said. \u201cBut as far as that happening, I think the plague would be the most guaranteed way to having a downscale in the population. Otherwise, it\u2019s just routine maintenance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Plague, an infectious disease associated with the Black Death in the 14th century in Europe, is not a part of the natural cycle of prairie dogs. Yet over the years, spread of the plague has wiped out colonies, causing the Fish and Wildlife Service to consider listing the species as endangered. And, prairie dogs, through fleas, can spread the disease to other animals, such as squirrels, mice, domestic cats and dogs, as well as humans.<\/p>\n
But increased development and expanding agricultural lands, which have caused widespread habitat loss, also played into the ruling, said Brad Weinmeister, a Durango-based biologist with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe overall size of their range has decreased drastically,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s believed that prairie dogs were once the most abundant mammal in North America, numbering into the hundreds of millions, according to Defenders of Wildlife. Today, best estimates show a population of around 10 million to 20 million, about a 95 percent loss.<\/p>\n
The Fish and Wildlife Service deemed that listing the prairie dog as endangered was warranted but, ultimately, did not list the species. The agency does, however, require continued mentoring.<\/p>\n
Prairie dogs are essential for the ecosystem. A number of species \u2013 badgers, foxes, coyotes, owls, etc. \u2013 feed on the rodent. Weinmeister said he\u2019s noted an uptick of weasels in the area as prairie dogs thrive.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust about every predator out there will eat a prairie dog,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
CPW is also determining where to reintroduce black-footed ferrets \u2013 one of Colorado\u2019s most endangered species \u2013 based on the stability of prairie dogs, a main food source.<\/p>\n
That has led to a contentious debate at the state level over the vaccination of prairie dogs from plague, mostly on the eastern plains. Still, wildlife managers in Southwest Colorado are on the look out.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to respect both sides,\u201d Weinmeister said.<\/p>\n