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The historic range of the black-tailed prairie dog included portions of 11 States, Canada, and Mexico.  Today it occurs from extreme south-central Canada to northeastern Mexico and from approximate the 98th meridian west to the Rocky Mountains.  The species is currently present in 11 States including Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.

Most estimates of black-tailed prairie dog populations are not based on numbers of individual animals, but on estimates of the amount of occupied habitat. Density of animals varies depending on the season, region, and climatic conditions, but typically ranges from 2 to 18 individuals per acre. Density also can vary temporally due to poisoning, plague, and recreational shooting. A rangewide estimate of historically occupied habitat for the black-tailed prairie dog is 80 to 100 million acres. Current occupied habitat is estimated to be 2.1 million acres.

The black-footed ferret is a federally listed endangered species that depends upon prairie dogs as a source of food and uses its burrows for shelter. Any actions that kill prairie dogs or alter their habitat could prove detrimental to black-footed ferrets occupying the affected prairie dog towns. Black-footed ferrets are considered extirpated except where they have been purposely reintroduced using special authorities under Section 10 of Endangered Species Act.  For project planning purposes, please consult IPaC (https://ecos.fws.gov/ipac/) to determine if pre-construction black-footed ferret surveys are required, or contact your local Ecological Services Field Office.

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The Fish and Wildlife Service has completed a status review of the black-tailed prairie dog and has determined it does not warrant protection as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. 

The Service assessed potential impacts to the black-tailed prairie dog including conversion of prairie grasslands to croplands, large-scale poisoning, and sylvatic plague and has determined that these impacts do not threatened the long-term persistence of the species.

Black-tailed prairie dogs occupy approximately 2.4 million acres across its range.  The estimated population of black-tailed prairie dogs in the U.S. is approximately 24 million.

• Federal Register Notice: December 2, 2009 12-Month Finding on a Petition to List the Black-tailed Prairie Dog as Threatened or Endangered
• Press Release: December 2, 2009 Endangered Species Act Protection for the Black-tailed Prairie Dog Is Not Warranted

After review of a petition seeking to protect the black-tailed prairie dog under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Service will undertake a more thorough review of the species to determine whether to propose adding the black-tailed prairie dog to the list of threatened or endangered species.

This petition finding does not mean that the Service has decided it is appropriate to give the black-tailed prairie dog protection under the ESA. Rather this finding is the first step in a long process that triggers a more thorough review of all the biological information available.

The public is invited to provide comments and information about the species and its habitat. Comments will be accepted until January 30, 2009. Please see the Federal Register notice for more information.

• Federal Register Notice: December 2, 2008 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List the Black-tailed Prairie Dog as Threatened or Endangered
• Press Release: December 2, 2008 Fish and Wildlife Service to Conduct Status Review of the Black-tailed Prairie Dog

An updated evaluation of the best available scientific information has led the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine that the black-tailed prairie dog is not likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future and no longer meets the Endangered Species Act definition of threatened.  Therefore, the prairie dog will be removed as a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act.  A finding that the black-tailed prairie dog does not warrant listing was delivered today to the Federal Register. 

• Press Release: August 12, 2004, Black-tailed Prairie Dog Removed From Candidate Species List
• Federal Register Notice: August 18, 2004, Finding for the Resubmitted Petition to List the Black-tailed Prairie Dog as Threatened
• 2004 Species Assessment and Listing Priority Assignment Form

Previous Assessments

• 2002 Candidate and Listing Priority Assignment Form
• 2001 Candidate and Listing Priority Assignment Form

12 Month Administrative Finding for the Black-tailed Prairie Dog (2/2000)

• Letter Summarizing the 12 Month Status Review of the Black-tailed Prairie Dog
• Memorandum from FWS Region 6 Director Regarding 12 Month Status Review
• Table of Contents for the 12 Month Finding for the Black-tailed Prairie Dog
• Chapter 1 - Summary of Service Considerations and Decisions
• Chapter 2 - Background Information
• Chapter 3 - Factors Affecting the Species
• Chapter 4 - Finding
• Chapter 5 - References Cited
• Chapter 6 - Tables
• Figures 1 through 5
• Download entire 12 Month Administrative Finding Report as self extracting zip file
  

Federal Register Notice:  90-day Finding for a Petition to List the Black-tailed Prairie Dog (3/25/1999)

Multi-State Conservation Strategy - Final Draft and related documents (11/1999)

• The Black-tailed Prairie Dog Conservation Assessment and Strategy Plan
• February 1, 2002 Addendum to the Black-tailed Prairie Dog Conservation Assessment and Strategy
• Cover letter accompanying the Conservation Assessment and Strategy Plan
• Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation Assessment and Strategy Plan

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