Boulder Developer Applies for Lethal Control of Prairie Dog Colony

A developer is seeking permission to use lethal control on a colony of 20 prairie dogs in Boulder. In 2006 the Boulder City Council accepted a one hundred and twelve page document into their urban wildlife management plan regarding the black tailed prairie dog. Outlined in that plan is a six step process that a developer must go through before using lethal means of controlling a prairie dog population within city limits. One component of that process is to open up a 60 day comment period allowing the public to offer alternative locations for a population that is facing extermination.

Currently, a developer has an application to use lethal control on a group of 20 prairie dogs that lives on one acre of land that is set for development. The last day for public comment is this Saturday, February 21st.

Boulder currently has approximately 5,000 acres specifically set aside as prairie dog habitat conservation areas, but Valerie Matheson with the City of Boulder says that after a recent relocation of 1150 prairie dogs in October, there are no sites remaining that can accept a new colony.