The Big Picture

APF is working to restore vibrant prairie dog colonies and their associated species to its private land. The black-tailed prairie dog is one of the most ecologically important species in the Great Plains. Prairie dog colonies support a diverse array of wildlife, including burrowing owls, mountain plovers and black-footed ferrets (North America’s most endangered mammal). However, widespread eradication programs, land use practices and plague have reduced prairie dog populations to less than three percent of their former abundance.

The black-footed ferret is just one species that relies on healthy prairie dog populations. Ferrets live only in prairie dog burrows, and more than 90% of their diet is prairie dogs. The black-footed ferret was twice thought to be extinct until discovery of the last natural wild population in 1981 near Meeteetse, Wyoming. Disease (sylvatic plague and canine distemper) hit this population and, in 1987, 18 surviving animals were captured and placed in captive breeding facilities. All ferrets alive today are the descendents of 7 Meeteetse individuals bred from the captive breeding program.

Starting in 1991, captive-born ferrets began to be reintroduced into the wild at 13 sites in 10 geographic areas, including the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge (CMR) and on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in Phillips County, Montana. Only three self-sustaining populations currently exist—at Shirley Basin, Wyoming; Conata Basin, South Dakota; and Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, South Dakota. The CMR site is Montana’s best hope for long-term persistence of ferrets in the state, but it is believed to contain too few prairie dogs to support a ferret population over the long term.

Progress to Date

APF deeded land is home to five prairie dog colonies that support diverse wildlife, including over 14 breeding pairs of burrowing owls. We are monitoring these colonies and have closed prairie dog shooting on our private lands. In addition, we are working closely with CMR and BLM biologists to ensure healthy prairie dog populations that can add to the habitat that already exists to support black-footed ferrets.

Unfortunately in 2006, sylvatic plague struck four of the five colonies, as well as colonies on nearby BLM lands. Some prairie dogs continue to persist on these colonies at low numbers.

Next Steps

Linking APF's prairie dog towns to the CMR black-footed ferret reintroduction site is likely to provide expanded habitat for CMR ferrets. To facilitate this linkage, APF and WWF are working together to expand prairie dog towns on APF deeded land. In preparation for this work, APF, WWF, and the CMR have secured a cost-share agreement with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

WWF and APF will also be developing a management plan that will include efforts to control plague through various methods, as well as to work with Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) and others to implement the FWP local management plan addressing prairie dog recovery and conservation. If this is successful and meets approval of all concerned, APF and WWF may consider translocating prairie dogs to suitable habitat in the future.

Fast Facts

Black-Tailed Prairie Dog
-Scientific name: Cynomys ludovicianus
-Keystone prairie species
-Habitat supports over 100 vertebrate species

Black-Footed Ferret
-Scientific name: Mustela nigripes
-Only known ferret species native to North America
-Added to the endangered species list in 1967