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The Associated Press
Bismarck, N.D.

Feds want more prairie dogs on North Dakota grasslands

A black-tailed prairie dog
A black-tailed prairie dog looks around its enclosure at a zoo in Nuremberg, Germany.
Timm Schamberger | AFP/Getty Images

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The U.S. Forest Service is looking to increase the number of prairie dogs on the Little Missouri National Grasslands in western North Dakota, while also keeping the critters off neighboring private property.

Prairie dogs are considered an important part of the ecosystem, but they can be troublesome for ranchers because they dig burrows and eat grass.

Dakota Prairie Grasslands Supervisor Dennis Neitzke tells The Bismarck Tribune that the Forest Service is developing a long-term strategy that goes beyond poisoning prairie dogs that encroach on pastureland.

The agency is taking comments on prairie dog management through Oct. 5. The comments will be considered for a draft management plan that also will be opened for public comment. The agency hopes to have a final decision sometime next year.