PAROWAN, Utah — “Detrimental.” “Controlling.” “Hazardous.”
That’s how people living in the city of Parowan, Utah, describe an endangered species native to southwestern Utah.
“Those prairie dogs were a menace,” said Parowan City Councilmember David M. Burton.
For almost fifty years, residents of southwestern Utah have had to step back and let prairie dogs be the priority. The animals have been listed under the endangered species act since 1973.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is now recommending the species be federally delisted and removed as an endangered animal.
“Fifty years later we have three times the number of prairie dogs spread much more widely across the landscape,” said Kim Hersey, mammal conservation coordinator.
This environmental feat comes at a hefty cost to Iron County who had to watch as the dogs destroyed airport runways and invaded coffins in cemeteries.
“The prairie dogs took precedence over the people who were buried there,” said Burton.
“There were properties that couldn’t be sold, properties that couldn’t be built on,” said Parowan Mayor Mollie Halterman.
The DWR will continue to manage the population under the Utah Prairie Dog Conservation Strategy.
Parowan is looking forward to co-existed with the creatures instead of watching them control major agricultural and developmental decisions.
“To know they’ve regained their numbers and it’s looking like that’s going to be lifted, it’s wonderful news. It’s fantastic news for Parowan,” said Halterman.
