Date:         Sun, 11 Jan 2004 09:22:22 -0500
Reply-To:     Brad_Bergstrom <bergstrm@VALDOSTA.EDU>
Sender:       Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Brad_Bergstrom <bergstrm@VALDOSTA.EDU>
Subject:      Re: prairie dogs
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

You wrote:

> I do know, if I were that rancher, I wouldn't be too happy
> about having prairie dog holes all over my pasture!

Unfortunately, that's the kind of attitude, held by too many western
ranchers, that doomed prairie dogs to extirpation from nearly 98% of their
original range and in turn the Black-footed Ferret to near extinction.
It's also had severe impacts on the populations of Burrowing Owls and a
host of other species of the native western flora and fauna.  You want to
see lots of Ferruginous Hawks, Mountain Plovers and badgers?  Go find one
of the few remaining healthy p-dog towns.

None of which is to say that p-dogs belong in GA (don't worry, they're
easily exterminated; that widespread attitude is a lot tougher).

Brad
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brad Bergstrom, Ph.D., Professor           TEL  229-333-5770 /-5759
Department of Biology                      FAX  229-245-6585
Valdosta State University                  e-mail: bergstrm@valdosta.edu
Valdosta, GA 31698-0015                    Home: 229-333-0743
           Home Page-- http://www.valdosta.edu/~bergstrm/
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