Speak up
John Schlageck
Originally published 09:32 a.m., November 10, 2007
Updated 09:32 a.m., November 10, 2007
There’s another storm brewing in western Kansas and while it’s kicking up the dust of public opinion, this controversy involves a couple of pesky varmints — the prairie dog and the ferret.
What remains to be determined is whether the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will reintroduce the black-footed ferret to Logan County.
Those who would like to see this critter back in the grassland are convinced it will control the existing prairie dog in a limited area. Ferrets are said to eat a couple prairie dogs a week.
Seems this creature, one of the rarest in North America today, according to USFWS could once be found throughout the Great Plains. The national goal is to re-establish the ferrets in 10 free-ranging populations spread across the widest possible area within the former range. Logan County is smack dab in the middle.
Here’s the rub. This land proposed for reintroduction of the black-footed ferret is private, it’s being used as grazing land and is bordered by other private grazing and cropland.
Those who don’t want the ferrets introduced are mainly farmers, ranchers and landowners. For them, relying on ferrets to control an ever-growing prairie dog population is something they’re not ready to bank on.
Thank you — they’d rather do it themselves. They’re also worried their ability to control prairie dogs — if the ferrets fail — will not be an option once the ferrets are established because of the ferrets protected status.
Logan County rancher Lynn Kirkham is one livestock producer who doesn’t want ferrets or prairie dogs. Kirkham has lived on the same ranch his father and grandfather before him have operated since shortly after the beginning of the 20th century. Like the wind, tumbleweeds, tornadoes and drought, prairie dogs are part of this country’s landscape – but not the ferret.
Kirkham’s ranch is part of a strip of grassland that runs from the western edge of the county to the eastern border — approximately 40 miles long. It stretches nearly eight miles wide along this band — more than 280 square miles of grass. Buffalo, blue gamma, side oats and little blue-stem grasses — all favorites in prairie dog town.
Like many of his ranching neighbors, Kirkham believes the ferrets won’t control the prairie dog, but simply live with them in the existing colonies and cause the dogs to move across roads, under fences and into new territory — maybe his property or that of his neighbors thus exacerbating the problem.
“Prairie dogs come in and establish their colonies, dig holes and eat the vegetation,” Kirkham says. “We’ve been in a drought out here going on seven years, and the grass isn’t growing like it should. When the prairie dogs come in here and establish themselves it almost looks like a moonscape.”
The Logan County rancher is also concerned if these varmints aren’t managed by conventional methods, land prices could drop when prairie dogs come in and cripple a good pasture. This could cripple the local economy.
“What happens if, and when, these ferrets are introduced and become established out here on our land?” Kirkham asks. “With them being an endangered species, we won’t be able to do anything with the prairie dogs that live with them for fear of destroying these ferrets.”
Ranchers spend a lot of time and money controlling prairie dogs each year. Depending on infestation levels, a landowner or rancher may spend several hundred to several thousand dollars annually.
So it comes down to those who do not want ferrets introduced versus those who want to use them for prairie dog control. Logan County ranchers want to see prairie dogs controlled so they won’t spread onto other landowner’s ground without introducing an endangered species that may not be able to live in the wild and more than likely will not eliminate the prairie dog.
The federal government is allowing public comment on its proposal to reintroduce the black-footed ferrets on private lands in Logan County. Written comments must be submitted by Nov. 19, to the Assistant Regional Director, Fisheries-Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 25486, DFC, Denver, CO 80225-0486, or by fax 303-236-0027.
• John Schlageck is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.
madpoet (anonymous) says...
Sounds like the USFWS needs to do more research and set up guidelines on what can/can not be done to the control prairie dogs before they attempt this venture. Maybe they can sponser some college students to do a project on how effective ferrets are at reducing prairie dog populations. I feel for the ranchers who want to protect their land. If the ferrets were proven effective it would save the ranchers from having to use more costly methods.
November 10, 2007 at 12:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )