Commentary: Without prairie dogs, endangered black-footed ferrets disappear

The black-footed ferret is among the planet’s most endangered species. A native of central North America, it was considered extinct until Sept. 26, 1981, when a Meeteetse, Wyoming, investigator named Shep rediscovered it. Shep was a ranch dog who delivered a carcass to his owners’ front steps. Black-footed ferrets need prairie dog towns as habitat. They prey on the rodents there and use their tunnels for refuge. Prairie dogs are Great Plains ground squirrels that sound and act a lot like dogs. They bark, sit erect, wag their tails, wrestle like puppies and exchange kiss-like greetings. They are also maligned. Ranchers claim they compete with cattle for grass. They don’t. Cattle, bison, deer, elk and pronghorns gravitate to prairie dog towns because prairie dogs bring rich, moist soil to the surface, aerate and fertilize soil, and improve water retention — all of which encourages lush, nutritious vegetation. Prairie dog towns support at least 150 species.

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