In Need Of Control

To the passing motorist, that creature running alongside the car, then darting into the field is a harmless creature of semi-arid desert. They appear to have almost chipmunk-like qualities that from a distance implies pet potential.

To the farmer and rancher, the story is often much different with negative results.

A quick search on prairie dogs defines the four-legged animal as “gregarious ground squirrel that lives in interconnected burrows that may cover many acres." It is native to the grasslands of North America,” according to Oxford Dictionaries. They are said to have a positive impact on cattle, “by providing favorable grazing habitat for cattle and reducing shrub invasion into grassland environments (US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health).

Talk to a rancher who has to put down a calf with a broken leg or dislocated hip, or facing almost worthless grazing land, and you get a different story.

Cassie Easterly and her husband Nick have first hand experience.

“They overgraze the grass,” she said.

She said there are two issues: the impact on vegetation and the injury to animals. She said injuries can occur to cattle when they step into a prairie dog hole, breaking a leg or dislocating a hip.

“We've had multiple ones that just fall over,” she said.

She added prairie dog towns can result in erosion as well.

In January of this year, the USDA released an Environmental Assessment (EA) of “Prairie Dog Damage Management in Nebraska.” The EA says that “even though prairie dogs play a role in the prairie ecosystem, they unfortunately affect pastures (i.e., livestock grazing) by removing forage and altering pasture vegetation.” The report goes on to say prairie dogs will select grasses for their diet that are also favored by livestock. They are also said to be opportunistic grazers, eating cheat grass, scarlet globe mallow, Russian thistle and other plants not favored by livestock.

The EA also defines prairie dogs as highly susceptible to plague outbreaks. The plague is primarily spread by flea bites, according to the EA.

The issue is funding, according to USDA State Director Tim Veenendaal. He told the commissioners the USDA would offer the help funds and resources allow. In a recent meeting, Banner County commissioner Bob Post suggested the counties combine efforts and seek federal assistance.

Jerry Feist, USDA supervisor wildlife services, said there is no one answer. There are people who want to preserve a place for prairie dogs, and others who see them as destructive and disease-spreading.

"There's no one answer to fit the whole county," Feist said.

He said the best way to treat a large area is with poisons. However, to move forward the county needs everyone to be in agreement. He added the county can work with the USDA or a private agency.