Welcome to the Prairie Dog Coalition Website

Learn more about prairie dogs at the Denver REI.

Expert prairie dog presentation in Denver

Join the Prairie Dog Coalition, a program of the Humane Society of the United States as they host Dr. Rich Reading and Dr. Dean Biggins to discuss prairie dog ecology and sylvatic plague management today. Dr. John Hoogland, professor and prairie dog researcher will also contribute to presentation preparations.

Reading is head of the conservation biology department at the Denver Zoological Foundation. Rich has studied prairie dogs and their associated species for decades. Rich’s presentation will focus on basic prairie dog ecology, public attitudes towards the species and the prairie dog population status today.

Biggins is a research and wildlife biologist for the USGS. Dean’s work has focused on black-footed ferret reintroduction, grassland ecology and conservation and plague management.

WHERE: REI Denver Flagship Store- 1416 Platte St, 80202
WHEN: 4-6pm Saturday, February 27th.
RSVP required: lindsey@prairiedogcoalition.org.
Space is limited.

Click here to learn more about the Prairie Dog Day at the Denver Zoo.

Prairie Dog Day honors Luke Zitting (on the right below) with Humane Hero award!

Click here to read more about the awesome work this 12 year old from Utah is doing for the prairie dogs!

The Prairie Dog Coalition and The Humane Society of the United States Join Forces!

This fall, the PDC became a program of the HSUS.

Click here to read more details.

If you’d like to make a donation to our work, checks should now be written to the Prairie Dog Coalition of HSUS. THANK YOU!!!
Click here to donate to the Prairie Dog Coalition. Your donation on this webpage will go straight towards prairie dog work.

The spring and summer months can be a challenging time for prairie dogs and their ecosystems. After having an average of 3 to 5 pups in the spring, prairie dogs are active and exploring their ecosystems, eating and communicating. Human development and urban sprawl can also increase during the warm months. Prairie dogs are more apt to move to new locations, potentially getting lost, stuck, and put in danger when development spreads to their homes. Prairie dogs living on land which is earmarked for development, if not humanely relocated by the responsible party, are bulldozed to death, trapped and buried alive, or at risk of being poisoned, a cruel process which can leave them clinging to life, and suffering for up to 72 hours.

For all these reasons, there is a dramatic rise in the number of distress calls we receive from concerned citizens in the spring and summer months. Please use the resources on our website to help if you find a prairie dog individual or colony in harm's way, and know that we are here to assist you if you don't find what you need online.

If you need additional assistance from a relocator or behavior expert, try emailing them directly. If you need help from a coalition representative, or you don't know who to contact, please feel free to email us: info@prairiedogcoalition.org

Remember, when there are prairie dogs on a piece of land where they are not welcome, there ARE options, and poisoning is never the answer with this important keystone species.

Alternatives include active or passive relocation, barriers, and a variety of other deterrent methods. Relocators can provide consulting and more details on these options.

Please use the vast library of information on our website, do your own research on the issue using a search engine, and contact us if you need help in a state where there are no prairie dog relocators.

Please see the "Events & Issues" page for more information!

Stay tuned for our newest feature: Adopt a Prairie Dog! Your adoption fees will help the PDC advocate for prairie dogs and their ecosystems.

Kim Riggs Memoriam

The Prairie Dog Coalition wishes to send sympathy to those who were touched by a great friend and advocate, Kim Riggs. Wildlife, and especially prairie dogs, lost an important and special supporter in Kim, and we will all miss her presence and inspiring work. It was Kim's wish that in lieu of flowers, people would consider making a charitable donation to organizations that had special meaning to her. The Prairie Dog Coalition is honored to be one of those organizations.

Zack the Prairie Dog Announcement

New book promotes prairie and autism awareness!

25% of all book sales go to the PDC!!! Get yours today and make a difference!

For every book sold through the following link www.zacktheprairiedog.com 25% of the proceeds go back to Prairie Dog Coalition. Simply mention "Please support Prairie Dog Coalition" in the comment section of your order. Click here to find out more and read a letter from the author.

Prairie Dog Day Radio Interview!

- By KGNU Programmer Roger Wendell

On Monday morning, February 2nd (2009), I had the good fortune to conduct a Prairie Dog interview on A Public Affair, one of the radio programs I host at KGNU. My guests were Lindsey Sterling Krank and Dr. C. N. Slobodchikoff. Lindsey is an environmental scientist and Executive Director of the Prairie Dog Coalition and Dr. Slobodchikoff is a professor of biology at Northern Arizona University. Additionally, Dr. Slobochikoff is co-author (with Bianca Perla and Jennifer Verdolin) of the book, Prairie Dogs - Communication and Community in an Animal Society. Our time together was packed-full of information about Prairie Dogs so I hope listeners will use it as an opportunity in acting to protect these special creatures!

Click here to listen to the radio show!

Prairie Dog Art Contest!

From now until January 23rd, Denver Zoo will be holding a Prairie Dog Art Contest, in partnership with Prairie Dog Coalition and WildEarth Guardians, to celebrate Prairie Dog Day!

The contest is open to children in grades Pre K – 6. All entries to the contest will be displayed at Denver Zoo for Prairie Dog Day on Sunday, February 1st.

More details about this event and the contest can be found here or at Denver Zoo Events. Please contact us if you have any questions, and spread the word!!!

Recognition

Exciting recognition for grasslands and grassland conservation here in the Rocky Mountain state! PDC contributor and nature photographer Dave Showalter wins the pictorial category at Colorado's Book Awards for his work in Prairie Thunder. Visit Dave's website.

The Mission of the Prairie Dog Coalition

For the benefit of treasured wildlife, the Prairie Dog Coalition is dedicated to the protection of imperiled prairie dogs and restoration of their ecosystems. To accomplish this mission, we provide information and advocacy training, facilitate communication and planning, and promote conservation projects.

We are an alliance of non-profit organizations, concerned citizens, and scientists dedicated to the protection of prairie dogs and restoration of prairie dog ecosystems. Survival of the prairie dog is critical to the continued existence of the prairie ecosystem—one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world.

Conata Basin, SD

The best place in the world for prairie dog and endangered black-footed ferret recovery.
Check out our featured slideshow here and learn what the PDC is doing to help!

graphic designed by Forest Guardians

The prairie dog is one of the most ecologically important residents of the Great Plains. As a keystone species, prairie dogs support the entire ecosystems of which they are part. Despite the inherent value of these extraordinary creatures, we risk losing prairie dogs to extinction, in part due to:

Sylvatic plague, a disease first brought to North America in 1900 that has now affected numerous wildlife species including prairie dogs;
Legalized decimation by poisoning, shooting and bulldozing;
Habitat destruction from conversion of grasslands to cropland or urban development.

Because prairie dogs support an entire system of life, what happens to them happens to the prairie.

The time to save prairie dogs and North American grasslands is NOW!!

Dr. Jane Goodall Joins the Prairie Dog Coalition!

Thanks to volunteer Joanne Reince, Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and U.N. Messenger of Peace, has signed on her support of the The Prairie Dog Coalition's mission. Coalition members had the honor of meeting with Dr. Goodall to discuss the plight of the prairie dog and our protection efforts. Dr. Goodall had some great ideas that we are excited to pursue! Stay tuned for this exciting advance for prairie dogs and their habitat. Welcome, Dr. Jane Goodall.

Nine different wildlife species depend on the prairie dog and their habitat for their survival. The prairie dog is a critical component to healthy North American grasslands. ~ Dr. Jane Goodall ~

Estimated Declines

Species	Historic Acreage	Current Acreage	Percent Decline
White-Tailed Prairie Dog	10 to 44 million	805,000	92
Mexican Prairie Dog	370,657	53,375	85
Utah Prairie Dog	448,000	6,977	98
Gunnison's Prairie Dog	9 to 62 million	336,000	96
Black-Tailed Prairie Dog	79 to 111 million	1.5 million	98

Black-tailed Prairie Dogs Need Endangered Species Act Protection

Instructions to sign an on-line petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/pdog123/petition.html

Listen to "Prairie Dogs Joy" by All My Relations

The Fund for Wild Nature is a supporter of the Prairie Dog Coalition.
Please check out their new web page. Click here.

Random Resource