Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Current Researchers

Tara Stephens

Reasons for Population Decline

Under the Species at Risk Act, the black-tailed prairie dog is currently listed as a species of ‘Special Concern’ in Canada because it is particularly susceptible to human activities and natural events. Unfortunately, due to habitat loss, the range of the black-tailed prairie dog has decreased to only 2% of their former distribution (IUCN, 2008). Agricultural and urban development is the primary cause of this loss of grassland habitat.  

Human development and human persecution are also factors that have contributed to the decline of the species. Traditionally labelled as a ‘pest’ by those in the agriculture industry, black-tailed prairie dogs have been routinely exterminated throughout history.                                                                                                                                                                  In addition, disease has posed a major threat to the back-tailed prairie dog. Sylvatic plague is especially dangerous to the species as it has the ability to wipe out entire colonies. Also found in domesticated cats and dogs, sylvatic (bubonic) plague is a bacterial disease that is carried and transmitted by fleas.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Factors such as climate change and drought also pose threats to populations of black-tailed prairie dog because prolonged drought can result in a direct decrease in food availability on the prairies. Since the black-tailed prairie dog is primarily dependent on natural grassland vegetation as a food source, a food shortage on the prairies could trigger a decrease in the overall reproductive success of the species.

What We're Doing

Since 2008, the Centre for Conservation Research (CCR) has been conducting research in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan on colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs. The Centre’s researchers have focused on identifying the factors that affect prairie dog colony size, density and distribution. Some of these factors may include: climate, the availability of food resources, predation, competition and available habitat.

Currently, the CCR is focused on studying the ways in which food availability impacts the density of black-tailed prairie dog colonies. By supplementing the prairie dog’s natural diet of prairie vegetation, researchers hope to discover whether food availability is a limiting factor for the size, density and distribution of these Canadian colonies.                                                                                                                                          In gaining a greater understanding of which factors impact the sustainability of black-tailed prairie dog colonies, researchers at CCR are becoming better equipped to help wildlife biologists prioritize areas for future black-footed ferret releases.                                                                                                                           The black-footed ferret - a prairie dog predator - has been extinct in Canada for over 70 years. Ensuring that existing black-tailed prairie dog populations can sustain the reintroduction of these predators is an important aspect of the research conducted at CCR.

In addition to studying food supplementation, researchers at CCR are also simultaneously completing surveys of prairie vegetation, experimenting with different catch-and-release techniques, collecting fleas for collaborating researchers to test for sylvatic plague, and compiling information on the general health of black-tailed prairie dog colonies while in Grassland National Park. 

To learn more about the Black-tailed Prairie Dog click here.

References