Black-tailed Prairie Dog
(Cynomys ludovicianus)
Black-tailed Prairie Dog
Black-tailed prairie dogs are found across
most of eastern Montana. Prairie dog
colonies are found on fl at, open grasslands
and shrub/grasslands with relatively
sparse vegetation. Conservation concerns
include: conversion of native rangelands
to agriculture and residential development;
confl icts between the present abundance of
prairie dogs and other land uses; disease,
particularly sylvatic plague; and poisoning as
a governmental control program. Conservation
strategies include: instituting a landowner
incentive program and a prairie dog control
program designed to manage prairie dog
acreage; identifying isolated colonies and
applying management measures to maintain
current distribution; assisting in funding
research projects targeting disease; and
developing and implementing a prairie dog
ecosystem education program.
