[BoulderCouncilHotline] 2017 prairie dog relocation summary

[Beck, Lynnette]

Sending for Valerie Matheson

From: Matheson, Valerie
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2018 4:58 PM
To: HOTLINE <HOTLINE at bouldercolorado.gov>
Subject: 2017 prairie dog relocation summary

Dear Hotline Subscribers,

In 2017, 260 prairie dogs were relocated to City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) property.  The majority of the prairie dogs (218) came from three private property sites with pending development plans, with some (42) coming from city owned property in the area of Foothills Community Park where the colony had been previously relocated in 2013 & 2014. The relocation season ended in November, and in two of the four sites where prairie dogs were being removed, not all of the prairie dogs could be captured. These "untrappable" prairie dogs are lethally controlled in the ground with Carbon Monoxide (CO) in the form of exhaust, because it is the most effective and humane method of lethal control.  In November, there were an estimated three prairie dogs fumigated with CO on private property, and the city is expecting to use CO fumigation for one remaining prairie dog in the area west of Foothills Park in late February.  The city uses many measures to avoid lethal control when possible.  A prairie dog relocation in the City of Boulder requires an effort to capture the remaining animals for five days beyond when the last prairie dog was successfully trapped.  On some properties, such as Foothills Park, the five days of unsuccessful trapping was followed by additional days of attempting to flush the prairie dogs out of the ground using water. This effort was not successful in capturing the last prarie dog.  For a relocation to be successful, the entire colony must be removed.  Therefore, at the end of these extensive efforts to capture prairie dogs, lethal means will be used for the one remaining prairie dog to prevent re-colonization of the prairie dog removal area.

If you would like further information on the city's 2017 prairie dog relocation efforts, please review the attached document or contact Lesli Ellis at EllisL at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:EllisL at bouldercolorado.gov>.


Valerie Matheson
Urban Wildlife Conservation Coordinator
[Planning,%20Housing%2]
O: (303) 441-3004
mathesonv at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:mathesonv at bouldercolorado.gov>

Comprehensive Planning Division
1739 Broadway, 4th Floor
Boulder, Colorado 80306
Bouldercolorado.gov<http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/>

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