How does this reintroduction affect Kansas State law which allows mandatory eradication of prairie dogs?
The Service’s plan in no way attempts to circumvent existing State law. No one who opposes prairie dogs on their property will be expected to provide anything for ferret restoration in Kansas. It is our hope that some prairie dog acreage can be maintained for the benefit of ferrets and the myriad other wildlife species which utilize this unique ecosystem. The increased financial and technical resources the Service and its partners are willing to provide to control prairie dogs will limit prairie dog dispersal to neighboring lands where they are not wanted while maintaining sufficient prairie dog acres to facilitate a ferret recovery effort. The Service is finalizing an agreement with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and other partners to provide a full-time staff person to be available to control prairie dogs on lands surrounding reintroduction sites. This person and expertise will be available by summer or fall 2008, providing prairie dog control services to neighbo
