Burrowers and Bugs
by Gene Gade
PRAIRIE DOG TOWN LIKE THIS ONE ONCE OCCUPIED 700 MILLION ACRES IN THE PRAIRIES
AND MOUNTAINS OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES
THE LARGEST PRAIRIE DOG TOWN ON RECORD COVERED ALMOST 25,000
SQUARE MILES AND CONTAINED AN ESTIMATED 400 MILLION PRAIRIE DOGS.
TODAY, POISONING, TRAPPING, SHOOTING AND CULTIVATION HAVE
REDUCED THE NUMBERS OF PRAIRIE DOG TO ABOUT 2% OF THE POPULATION THAT EXISTED
IN 1900.
THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY FOLKS HAVE CONTROLLED PRAIRIE
DOGS--THEY EAT A LOT OF GRASS AND OTHER PLANTS THAT COULD OTHERWISE FEED
LIVESTOCK -- THE SITES THAT THEIR
BURROWS DISTURB CAN BECOME WEED PATCHES.
THEY CARRY DISEASES INCLUDING BUBONIC PLAGUE AND Q FEVER
---- HORSES AND OTHER LARGE MAMMALS CAN
BREAK LEGS IN THE HOLES THEY CREATE -- RATTLESNAKES FREQUENT THEIR TUNNELS.
THEIR BURROWING ACTIVITIES BRING MINERALS FROM DEEP IN THE
GROUND TO THE SOIL SURFACE. THEIR
ACTIVITIES DEPOSIT ORGANIC MATTER IN THE SOIL AND PROVIDE AN EASY PATHWAY FOR
WATER TO GET DEEP IN THE GROUND WHEN IT RAINS.
BURROWING RODENTS PROVIDE THE FOOD AND HABITAT FOR MANY
WILDLIFE SPECIES INCLUDING SEVERAL ENDANGERED SPECIES - BLACK FOOTED FERRETS,
KIT FOXES, AND BURROWING OWLS, AS WELL AS LESS MANY THREATENED BIRDS,
REPTILES AND MAMMALS.
THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR THE MANY OTHER SPECIES OF BURROWING
ANIMALS --RANGING FROM ANTS AND OTHER INSECTS TO GOPHERS, GROUND SQUIRRELS AND
CHIMPMONKS.
WE PROBABLY NEED TO LIMIT THE NUMBERS OF THESE BUGS AND
BURROWERS IN OUR PASTURES AND FIELDS, BUT WE SHOULD ALSO REMEMBER THAT THEY ARE
AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTOR TO THE ECOLOGY AND DIVERSITY OF WYOMING'S
RANGELANDS. I'M GENE GADE OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF WYOMING COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE.