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Utah Prairie Dog Progress Towards Recovery

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Utah Prairie Dog Progress Towards Recovery U.S. U.S.Fish Fish & Wildlife & Wildlife Service Service Utah Prairie Dog Progress Towards Recovery Utah prairie dog pups at burrow / © Laura Romin and Larry Dalton Overview The Utah prairie dog is federally listed and prefer swale-type formations with (e.g., a 68% increase in Utah prairie as threatened under the Endangered moist vegetation. Their preferred dogs at translocation sites between Species Act (ESA). The 2012 Utah habitats often coincide with the valley 2012 and 2013), likely due to intensive Prairie Dog Revised Recovery Plan bottoms that are used by farmers, plague management the past several calls for three recovery units (West ranchers, and developers. The current years (dusting Utah prairie dogs and Desert, Awapa Plateau, Paunsaugunt) distribution of Utah prairie dogs is burrows with insecticides). The with 2,000 adult animals in each unit much reduced from the historical National Park Service has also been (1,000 adults counted in the spring) for distribution. Range-wide, Utah prairie dusting to control plague outbreaks in five consecutive years within protected dog population trends appear to be Bryce Canyon National Park since areas. stable, although the species remains 2008 and the Bureau of Land vulnerable to significant threats Management initiated plague dusting History including habitat loss from urban in 2014. Furthermore, plague vaccine Utah prairie dog populations began to development (more than 70% of all development is showing promise and decline in the 1920s when lethal control Utah prairie dogs occur on nonfederal may provide a long-term solution programs (e.g., poisoning) were lands) and the loss of prairie dog addressing this non-native disease. initiated. This threat, combined with colonies due to plague. the effects of sylvatic plague (a non- Because over 70% of Utah prairie dogs native disease transmitted by fleas) Recovery Strategy and Progress occur on nonfederal lands, we worked and habitat alteration from large scale The recovery strategy for the Utah with our partners to protect key agricultural and over-grazing prairie dog focuses on the need to nonfederal parcels through targeted activities, dramatically impacted the address habitat/colony loss and disease land acquisitions and easements with species’ distribution. As a result, the through a program that emphasizes willing sellers. These key parcels Utah prairie dog was listed as an conserving existing colonies; contain occupied colonies that provide endangered species in 1973. With establishing additional colonies on habitat and population connectivity on federal protections in place, by 1984, federal and protected nonfederal lands the landscape. For example, our Utah prairie dog populations had via habitat improvement or partners have protected 1,300 acres of expanded in portions of their range translocations; and controlling the occupied habitat through Habitat and were reclassified to threatened transmission of plague. Conservation Plans (HCPs) or with a special 4(d) rule to allow some conservation banks. In addition, the additional management flexibility. The We have seen progress in recovery Panoramaland RC&D established the special 4(d) rule was revised again in efforts. Since 1972, the Utah Division Utah Prairie Dog Habitat Credit 2012, providing further management of Wildlife Resources and federal land Exchange (UPDHCE) in 2010 and has flexibility. management agencies have conducted enrolled 280 acres of occupied prairie habitat treatments and translocations dog habitat in conservation easements; Habitat and Population Trends of Utah prairie dogs from nonfederal to the UPDHCE sells credits to Utah prairie dogs are found in seven federal lands to establish new colonies. developers when their projects overlap counties (Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane, Plague management is key for with Utah prairie dog habitats. Piute, Sevier, and Wayne) in central improving the success of Utah prairie southwestern and Utah. The species dog translocations and the species’ Federal partners have also committed occurs in semiarid shrub-steppe and long-term recovery. The Dixie National to mitigation strategies that have grassland habitats where they use Forest has seen improved success at benefited Utah prairie dogs. In 2013, deep, well-drained soils for burrowing Utah prairie dog translocation sites The Nature Conservancy purchased Region 6 Mountain-Prairie Region 800 acres of Utah prairie dog habitat Meeting Recovery Criteria and nonfederal lands that have been using mitigation funds provided by the Much emphasis has recently been purchased or protected with perpetual Federal Aviation Administration. In placed on which prairie dogs “count” conservation easements specific for addition, the Utah Department of towards recovery. Recovery is Utah prairie dogs. Only areas Transportation, and Garkane Energy primarily about ensuring the long- specifically dedicated to and managed purchased credits from the UPDHCE term survival and conservation of a for Utah prairie dog conservation have to offset ongoing project impacts to species, and protecting the ecosystems a high probability of addressing threats Utah prairie dogs. upon which the species depends. like development, plague, shooting, and poisoning long-term, after delisting. The Utah Prairie Dog Recovery Therefore, recovery is really a two-fold Additionally, in order to address Implementation Program (UPDRIP) strategy of: genetic concerns, protected lands also was established in 2010 as a large ■■ meeting numerical population and need to be distributed spatially in a public-private partnership to recover habitat criteria, and manner that provides adequate the prairie dog while balancing ongoing ■■ successfully managing threats to connectivity. development. The associated Utah the species long-term. Prairie Dog Recovery Implementation Next Steps Team (UPDRIT) has developed In our recovery plan, we established Management of threats in perpetuity Management Unit plans that are numerical recovery criteria goals should be accomplished through intended to help us achieve recovery where each of the three Recovery federal land use planning by focusing on: Units must contain 2,000 adult animals commitments, state, and local policies (spring count of 1,000 adult animals) and regulations. We have seen recent ■■ Habitat improvement and for five consecutive years within successes, including the purchase of maintenance on federal and other protected areas. None of the Recovery lands and completion of conservation protected habitats, Units have met this numeric goal (in easements protecting over 1,200 acres ■■ Increased plague management, protected areas) for five consecutive of Utah prairie dog habitats across the ■■ Translocations of Utah prairie dogs years, although spring counts in the species range; the development and to establish new colonies on federal Paunsaugunt Recovery Unit have testing of a new plague vaccine that and other protected habitats, and significantly increased within the past has shown initial positive results; and ■■ The use of conservation easements couple of years and exceeded 1,000 the establishment of new prairie dog and acquisitions in partnership adult spring count on federal or other colonies through translocations on U.S. with willing sellers to protect protected areas in 2014. Forest Service and Bureau of Land habitats on nonfederal lands in Management lands. Implementation of perpetuity. Long-term, we hope to recover and delist the Utah prairie dog thus the newly developed Management removing the Unit Plans will help us achieve threat ESA’s federal reduction range-wide through protections. To landscape level habitat and plague achieve this goal management and targeted land of delisting, we protection, providing a path to must meet recovery. We believe that the Utah biological targets prairie dog is a very recoverable and be confident species, particularly if we can that progress will successfully garner resources, be maintained in cooperation, and dedication from all the absence of the involved. Act’s protective measures. This has led to our requirement to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 6 achieve these http://www.fws.gov targets within Utah Field Office protected areas. (801) 975 - 3330 Protected areas For State relay service include federal TTY / Voice: 711 lands (managed for prairie dogs) June 2014 Region 6 Mountain-Prairie Region .
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