Species Description:  Prairie dogs occur only in North America.  They are rodents within the squirrel family and include five species--the Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens), the white-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys leucurus), the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus), the Gunnison prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni), and the Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus).  The Utah prairie dog is currently listed under the Endangered Species Act as threatened.

The total length of an adult Utah prairie dog is approximately 12-14 inches, the weight of an individual ranges from 1 to 3 pounds.  Utah prairie dogs range in color from cinnamon to clay, with dark markings above the eyes and white on the tip of the tail.  Utah prairie dogs are diurnal, burrowing animals.  Utah prairie dogs can be distinguished from white-tailed prairie dogs by their cinnamon to clay coloration of the dorsum and the proximal half of the tail.  They have sharply outlined black “eyebrows” which are lacking in other species.

Breeding usually takes place in March and young are born in April after a 30 day gestation period.  Emergence of the pups usually occurs from mid to late May.  The Utah prairie dog's diet is composed of flowers, seeds, grasses, leaves, and even insects.  Major threats to the species include habitat loss (through development and drought), poisoning, and the plague.

Location: The Utah prairie dog is the westernmost member of the genus Cynomys.  The species= range is limited to the southwestern quarter of Utah.  The species distribution was much broader prior to control programs and in the past extended across the desert almost to the Nevada-Utah state line.  The total species distribution was estimated to be 95,000 animals prior to control programs in the 1920's.  By the 1960's, distribution of the Utah prairie dog was greatly reduced due to disease, poisoning, drought, and human-related habitat alteration resulting from cultivation and poor grazing practices.  By 1972, it was estimated that there were 3,300 Utah prairie dogs in 37 separate prairie dog colonies.  The Utah prairie dog presently occurs in principal concentrations in only three areas of Utah: the Awapa Plateau, western Garfield County, and eastern Iron County.  A few colonies exist in isolated mountain and desert valleys.

Range wide spring survey counts conducted by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in the spring of 2004 reported 4022 adult Utah prairie dogs, which represents approximately half of the total population.  Despite public land efforts at establishing new Utah prairie dog colonies and supplementing existing ones, approximately 68% of Utah prairie dogs still occur on private and other non-federal lands.

Map of Utah prairie dog habitat provided by Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

Interim Conservation Strategy

Recent Actions:  The Panoramaland Resources Conservation and Development Council (Panoramaland) and the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) signed the Programmatic Safe Harbor Agreement (Agreement) for Utah prairie dogs. This Agreement provides the opportunity for landowners in Sevier, Piute, Wayne, Garfield, Kane, Beaver, and Iron Counties of Utah to enroll in a Safe Harbor Program to promote the conservation of Utah prairie dogs on their properties. Under this Agreement, the Service issued an enhancement of survival permit for the Utah prairie dog on July 23, 2009, to the Panoramaland, who can then issue certificates of inclusion to enrollees. The permit and certificates authorize incidental take of the Utah prairie dog that may result from implementation of conservation measures. Under a separate authority, the permit also authorizes some control of Utah prairie dogs under specific restrictions, if conservation efforts result in increased numbers of Utah prairie dogs causing damage to the enrollees' structures.

This program is a partnership effort between Panoramaland, Utah Division of Natural Resources and the Service. We expect this program, along with its regulatory assurances, to encourage landowners to voluntarily manage their lands to improve Utah prairie dog habitat. These efforts across seven counties will result in a net conservation benefit for the species on a landscape scale.

• Programmatic Safe Harbor Agreement for Utah Pairie Dogs
• Finding of No Significant Impacts for the Issuance of a Permit for the Utah Prairie dog to the Panoramaland Resources and Conservation Development Council
• Final Environmental Assessment for the Programmatic Safe Harbor Agreement for Utah Prairie Dogs

Federal Register Notice:  February 21, 2007  90-Day Finding on a Petition to Reclassify the Utah Prairie Dog from Threatened to Endangered and Initiation of a 5-year Review

Iron County Habitat Conservation Plan

Cedar Ridge Golf Course & Paiute Tribal Lands Habitat Conservation Plan

• Supplemental Environmental Assessment for the Cedar Ridge Golf Course & Paiute Tribal Land HCP - July 11, 2008
• Appendix A
• Appendix B
• Federal Register Notice:  May 15, 2006 Draft Environmental Assessment, Draft HCP and Receipt of Application of Incidental Take Permit for Cedar City & the Paiute Tribe for the Cedar City Golf Course & Paiute Tribal Lands, Utah

• HCP for the Cedar City Golf Course & Paiute Tribal Lands

  • Figure 1
  • Figure 2
  • Figure 3
  • Appendix 1
  • Appendix 2
  • Appendix 3
  • Appendix 4
  • Appendix 5

More information can be found on the Service's ECOS webpage