Prairie Dog Pals

Dedicated to the Preservation of Prairie Dogs and their Habitat

FIRST PRAIRIE DOG OF 2017 SIGHTED

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An advocate called this morning (1/28) and reported seeing the first prairie dog emerge from hibernation at the NW Corner of Tramway and Lomas (Prairie Hills). This is a bit disturbing as the temperature this morning was 20F possibly warming to 40F later in the day. It is just TOO early. However, we do know that our gunnies can wake up for a snack and then go back into torpor if the weather is cold. We HOPE that’s the case, otherwise it will be a long spring season for our rescue crew. If any of our caregivers are of the mind to visit the lot, could you perhaps drop some carrots or grain down a few of the burrows? Also if you check the areas where you provide supplemental food for PD activity it would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

PS:  The prairie dog pictured  is a black tailed prairie dog in Colorado.

Unintentional cruelty: Are prairie dog relocations worth their mortality?

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Spring marks the annual beginning of an increasingly popular non-lethal method of removing 104351404-gunnisons-prairieunwanted prairie dogs: Relocation of entire segments to more suitable and protected habitat.

But the job isn’t for sissies or the faint of heart, because there is a huge amount of work and preparation involved, with a variety of associated challenges, including potentially fatal consequences for a number of prairie dogs—sometimes even if the job is done by experts.

Read More:  Relocation

 

 

 

 

Prairie Dog Daze

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Cute is not a reason to go on living in the grander evolutionary scheme of things, but it must count for 40th-Horiz.wideasomething. People love prairie dogs, even if they are next thing to a rat.

Michael Burns never expected to be walking around the plaza dressed in a big, fuzzy, buff-colored costume on the Saturday after Earth Day, hugging children and carrying a cardboard placard that said “Prairie dog family values.” The 36-year-old self-employed salesman who moved to Santa Fe from Portland, Ore. about four years ago, said he never thought much about prairie dogs until recently. 

Read More:  Daze

Should animal cognition be considered by lawmakers for conservation policies?

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Should animal cognition be considered by lawmakers for conservation policies? Many scientists believe it should.

The Humane Society Institute for Science & Policy is sponsoring a symposium next week in Washington, D.C., entitled “The Science of Animal Thinking and Emotion: Sentience as a Factor in Policy and Practice.”

Excerpt from the website:

Science is making stunning discoveries about animal cognition, awareness and emotion. How can we leverage this information for positive change in government and industry? This two-day conference brings together thought-leaders in the science and implications of animal sentience, and influential voices in the policy and corporate domains. As the bedrock of ethics, sentience deserves a more prominent place in the legislative and corporate landscape.

Read more at:  Cognition