Prairie dogs: endangered species or just plain pests? Government officials, farmers, ranchers, and developers have asked this question, but it seems that no one can agree on the answer.

Some background on the prairie dog seems to be in order. French explorers called them "little dogs" because of the barking noise they make. There are five species of prairie dogs found in North America. The most abundant and widely distributed of these species is the black-tailed prairie dog. The adult weighs between two and three pounds and can be up to 17 inches long.

The black-tailed species is the prairie dog of the South Plains. Black-tailed prairie dogs are not actually "dogs," but rather burrowing plant-eaters that belong to the squirrel family. The black-tailed prairie dog is distinct in its appearance and habitat because they are somewhat larger than the other species and have a longer tail with a black tip.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service classify the black-tailed prairie dogs as warranted but precluded. This status means that the USFWS has found scientific data justifying a listing of this variety of prairie dogs as threatened. The precluded part of the classification is important in that the USFWS is claiming that other species in the region are more endangered. It also means that the USFWS doesn’t have the resources available to help the prairie dogs. The USFWS also faces great political opposition to listing the prairie dog as threatened and NOT precluded by farmers, ranchers, developers, and state government officials.

Some possible reasons why farmers and ranchers have a problem with listing the prairie dog as threatened and NOT precluded include the belief of conflict between cattle and the prairie dogs for forage and the belief that cattle and horses have a high risk of breaking their legs because of the prairie dog mounds. Also, the myth of prairie dogs spreading the plague is enough to make anyone unsure about keeping this animal around.

According to some scientific evidence, prairie dogs and cattle have a mutually beneficial relationship. Some studies have shown prairie dogs improve the forage for cattle, and cattle grazing allow prairie dog colonies to expand in mid-grass prairie. Both cattle and prairie dogs have demonstrated a preference for grazing together, just as bison and prairie dogs have historically preferred each other’s company.

As for the myth that prairie dogs spread the plague, they actually die from it, not spread it. However, just as dogs and cats can be hosts to fleas that might carry the disease, so can prairie dogs. The fleas that carry the plague are brought into the prairie dog colonies by other animals. Because of a low immunity to the plague, this disease can wipe out an entire colony of prairie dogs within days.

Depending on a person’s viewpoint, the prairie dogs can be a friend or a foe. These animals are very highly sociable and are even sold in pet shops as exotic pets. The battle continues in Congress between ranchers and farmers and the environmentalists on whether or not this animal is a pest or a benefit. If an agreement is not reached, the prairie dog may become extinct and there will be none left on the South Plains, or anywhere else.