Pairie dogs

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by LisaCACO

prairie dogs are part of the environment. if you don't like them, why live on the prairie?

Unfortunately, the natural predators that keep prairie dog populations under control have been nearly eliminated in some places--the black footed ferret being an example. The result is severe prairie dog overpopulation. Nature takes care of that in a very ugly and unpleasant way--bubonic plague.

The same boneheads who move out into rural areas and ***** about the prairie dogs are the same ones who freak out if their predators show up--rattlesnakes, foxes, coyotes and mountain lions, to name a few. I agree with that part of your statement--if people want to live "rural" then they need to be willing to share their environment with the naturally occurring critters--even the ones that can pose some risk. Otherwise, stay in the damned city.

[Mike from back east]

Prairie Dog Stew anyone? Local delicacy I'm told. Good if spit roasted too.

[suzco]

. . . and the latest news in the official prairie dog wars, from Boulder:

State denies Boulder's bid to move 300 prairie dogs to Gunbarrel

The Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife has denied an application from the city of Boulder to move up to 300 prairie dogs from Foothills Community Park to an open space site in Gunbarrel, effectively putting an end to a five-year battle over the rodents.

But the overall war is far from over, with city officials saying they'll try to find a new home for the troublesome critters and opposed Gunbarrel residents promising to share their experience with other neighborhoods.

In a letter sent to the city Friday, state wildlife officials wrote that they denied Boulder's application to move the prairie dogs to the Richardson II open space site because the plan failed to adequately mitigate residents' concerns about the colony eventually expanding into the nearby neighborhood.

"Until the city can develop a plan to effectively contain relocated prairie dogs on the Richardson II property, and as long as local opposition -- especially from adjacent landowners -- to the project remains strong, we will not issue a permit," the letter reads. . .

[Bob from down south]

Originally Posted by suzco

. . . and the latest news in the official prairie dog wars, from Boulder:

State denies Boulder's bid to move 300 prairie dogs to Gunbarrel

If you can't take the dogs to GunBarrel, take the gun barrel to the dogs!

In my case it's the barrel of a Browning 25-.06 scoped varmint rifle...

[Mike from back east]

Here's the game to practice whacking prairie dogs.

[LisaCACO]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

Unfortunately, the natural predators that keep prairie dog populations under control have been nearly eliminated in some places--the black footed ferret being an example. The result is severe prairie dog overpopulation. Nature takes care of that in a very ugly and unpleasant way--bubonic plague.

The same boneheads who move out into rural areas and ***** about the prairie dogs are the same ones who freak out if their predators show up--rattlesnakes, foxes, coyotes and mountain lions, to name a few. I agree with that part of your statement--if people want to live "rural" then they need to be willing to share their environment with the naturally occurring critters--even the ones that can pose some risk. Otherwise, stay in the damned city.

yep, it's sad. we live in the city burbs (what I consider the city anyway-the farm at arapahoe county) and I don't freak out about the foxes and coyotes that I see romping thru my back yard. they were here first and it's there turf. no rattlesnakes, but wouldn't freak me out. again, they were here first. grew up in CA with the mountain lion/coyote risk. it is what it is...you just don't let your dogs and small children play outside unattended.

if we've screwed up the balance of nature, time to restore it or suffer the consequences.