Abstract
Utah prairie dogs have been extirpated in 90% of their historical range. Because most of the population occurs on private land, this threatened species is continually in conflict with land-owners due to burrowing. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has been relocating Utah prairie dogs from private to public land since the 1970s, but relocations have been largely unsuccessful due to high mortality. Utah prairie dogs were relocated in 2010 and 2011 from the golf course in Cedar City, Utah to two prepared sites near Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. Vegetation transects were established at each site to determine if there was a correlation between site vegetation composition and structure, and Utah prairie dog survival at relocation sites. The vegetation at the two sites was significantly different. One site had significantly less grass cover, more invasive plant cover, and rockier soils. The sites also had different soil structures and long-term Utah prairie dog retention rates. Newly established burrows were clustered rather than randomly distributed. Utah prairie dogs appeared to avoid placing burrows in areas with tall vegetation and rocky soils. More research is needed to determine how site selection determines longterm retention and colonization of a relocation site.
Highlights
Utah prairie dogs occur only in southwestern Utah, and have been extirpated in much of their historical range
Because Utah prairie dogs consume a wide variety of plant species [8] and species composition varied at each site, we focused our analysis on comparing the percent cover of grasses, forbs, and shrubs, and comparing vegetation height at each site
We found 449 new, natural Utah prairie dog burrows at the relocation areas
Summary
Utah prairie dogs occur only in southwestern Utah, and have been extirpated in much of their historical range. Population recovery is slow due to sylvatic plague outbreaks, and because Utah prairie dogs have slow reproductive and population growth rates [2]. Utah prairie dogs have been relocated from private to public lands since 1972 [1] to increase the prairie dog population in new colonies throughout their historic range. Some removal of prairie dogs is allowed, and relocations are conducted on animals that would otherwise be destroyed. Relocation sites are prepared with artificial burrows and nest boxes prior to release, and predator control is conducted following relocation. In spite of these efforts, relocations have been largely unsuccessful due to high mortality, and have done little to improve the population status
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