Prairie Dog versus Range Land Owner - Essay Example

A Case Study on Prairie Dog versus Range Land Owner A Case Study on Prairie Dog versus Range Land Owner One of the grave effects ofendangering the natural habitats of animals and other creatures is taking its toll today. According to the website of Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Implementation Team (2005), "The North American prairie is one of the most endangered ecosystems on earth--perhaps even more endangered than the South American rain forest or the old growth forests of the American northwest.

" One of the reasons why is because of land cultivation. The prairie was the natural habitat of the prairie dogs, and other land animals, and insects, since time immemorial. Because of human invasion on the land ecosystem began to change. Everything was made for the benefit of the settlers to grow their crops, graze cattle and other farm animals. Settlers were the ones granted to claim 160 acres of land for only $10 through the Homestead Act which was passed in 1860 in which, "Once the claim had been occupied for five years, it became the settler's property"(Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Program, 2005).

The home for the prairie dogs, and other creatures were destroyed, more so for these creatures which in the eyes of humans were pests to their fields. More and more animals were being added to the endangered list as the settlers began to suffer the consequences of inhabiting the home of the prairie dogs. Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Implementation Team (2005) also stated that, "Few people recognized the ecological sensitivity of the Great Plains or realized that native grasses held the prairie soil together.

Without native vegetation, winds carried away topsoil planted with crops. This problem became evident during the drought which caused the Dust Bowl and black blizzards of the 1930s when many farmers lost their land. It wasn't until after this devastation that range management and soil conservation practices were developed." The Ecosystem Functions of the Prairie Dogs"Prairie dog colonies are unique ecosystems that attract a wide variety of wildlife" (Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Implementation Team, 2005).

Furthermore, Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Implementation Team (2005) affirmed to the importance of the existence of the prairie dogs which are the source of other species' food, and shelter. They also claim that "Studies have identified over 140 species of wildlife associated with prairie dogs towns. Many of these are declining, threatened or endangered species such as the burrowing owl, golden eagle, prairie falcon, ferruginous hawk, mountain plover, swift fox, and of course, the black-footed ferret.

" Americans had begun to consider the prairie dogs as pests from the time when the Europeans arrived in Great Plains. The people assumed that the prairie dogs were taking away the grasses that were the source of food for the livestock. As a result, they poisoned the prairie dogs and grabbing 98 percent of the 247 million acres of home to the prairie dogs, as said by the recovery program (2005). "Millions of prairie dogs were poisoned because they were believed to compete with grazing cattle. Today, less than 2 percent of their original habitat remains Besides continued poisoning, recreational shooting of prairie dogs is growing in popularity.

With few regulations and no bag limits, shooters often kill hundreds of prairie dogs in a single day, drastically reducing their numbers" "(Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Implementation Team, 2005).With this awakening, people are now finding ways to cultivate healthier lands by doing experiments on how they can keep their livestock without destroying the ecosystem. They are now learning to adjust with the nature, giving back the life they once took. The reality is that it may never be the same again, but the fact that there are still a few people who are thinking of the welfare of not just themselves, but also the importance of the whole ecosystem is a step toward giving the prairie dogs a chance to live again.

ReferenceBlack-Footed Ferret Recovery Implementation Team(2005, January 20). Prairie Ecosystem. Wellington, CO:Black-Footed Ferret Fund Prairie Wildlife Research. Retrieved April 30, 2008, from Black-Footed Ferret Fund Prairie Wildlife Research Website: http://www.blackfootedferret.org/pp-pdog.html