05/29/2026
From Billions to a Fraction🐾🌾
It’s hard to imagine today, but billions of prairie dogs once roamed across North America. In 1901, one continuous prairie dog town stretched from Clarendon all the way to San Angelo—around 250 miles long and 100–150 miles wide. It was one of the largest concentrations of mammals on the continent.🌎
Today, only 2–4% of those historic populations remain. The biggest culprits?
• Habitat fragmentation🌱
• Sylvatic plague, introduced in the early 1900s
• Widespread poisoning campaigns beginning in 1917
By understanding this history, we can better protect the prairie dog colonies that still remain—and the many species that depend on them.
