Those dog-gone dogs

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Those dog-gone dogs

Animal-control business is booming as populations of prairie dogs explode in Montezuma, La Plata counties
A prairie dog stuffs himself with a mouthful of grass. According to a bioligist, populations of priairie dogs and other varmints have grown this summer.

Those dog-gone dogs

A prairie dog stuffs himself with a mouthful of grass. According to a bioligist, populations of priairie dogs and other varmints have grown this summer.
Deterring the dogs

While battling prairie dog overpopulation is often necessary here are a few tips from a biologist to be more environmentally friendly and naturally deter them.
Mesa Verde’s wildlife biologist Paul Morey cautions against shooting prairie dogs with lead ammunition because they are a keystone species that support predators, like hawks.
Studies have shown that California condors have died from feeding on dead animals shot with lead. So it is likely by leaving a field of dead prairie dogs shot with lead could enter the food chain and hurt predators, Morey explained.
Mesa Verde National Park uses carbon monoxide poisoning and then covers up the prairie dogs holes so predators will not eat the carcasses.
He also suggests letting grass grow greater than 8 to 10 inches because if the grass is really high they don’t feel secure.
Setting up perches for raptors like a telephone pole can also draw in redtail hawks that will hunt them.
But there is no panacea for controlling them, especially if you’re neighbors are not on board.

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