FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, August 12, 2004

CONTACT: Mark Johnston or Rob Skjonsberg, (605) 773-3212

Gov. Rounds announces Prairie Dog removed from endangered species candidate list

PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Mike Rounds announced today that he received word from the Department of Interior notifying him that the Prairie Dog has been removed from the endangered species candidate list.

“We have been working on the prairie dog issue from the first day I took office.  I am very pleased that President Bush and Secretary Norton have responded to my letter and taken the first step to address this critical issue which is threatening the way of life for ranchers in western South Dakota,” said Gov. Rounds.  “By removing the prairie dog from the candidate list, this will allow us to take a much more proactive approach in controlling the infestation of prairie dogs from federal lands onto private lands.”

Secretary of Interior Gale Norton visited western South Dakota in August of 2002 and viewed first hand the damage that the prairie dog inflicted on private lands.

“Two years ago, almost to the day, I attended a town meeting in Rapid City where I heard the concerns of South Dakotans on this important issue,” said Dept. of Interior Secretary Gale Norton. “As a result, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, states and others have worked cooperatively to collect data on the status of black-tailed prairie dogs throughout much of the western plains.  Based on this data, scientists have concluded that populations of prairie dogs are thriving – an estimated 18 million black-tailed prairie dogs exist in the region.  I am thankful for the leadership of Gov. Rounds, Congressman Thune and the South Dakotans who have contributed to the resolution of this issue.”

In response to the announcement, Gov. Rounds will hold a press conference at 1:30 p.m. (MT) Friday, August 13, 2004 at the Best Western Ramkota Inn Legion Room in Rapid City to outline the revised Prairie Dog Management Plan.  

In collaboration with the US Forest Service, USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the South Dakota Departments of Game, Fish and Parks and Agriculture, the revised plan incorporates prairie dog control measures on complaint driven federal and private lands, proposed changes to shooting regulations in the Conata Basin, expanded live trapping, and completion of the management plan by the South Dakota Legislature.

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