City fighting prairie dog invasion
SAN ANGELO — They're chubby. They're furry. They're also wreaking havoc in San Angelo's Mary E. Lee Park.
The city is trying to put a lid on the park's prairie dog problem.
"They were cute at first," said Carl White, director of City Parks and Recreation. "They're still cute, but they need to be contained."
The burrowing animals live in complex underground tunnels, the openings of which can be missed by people walking or running. Several have appeared in the dirt parking lot and along the edges of Mary E. Lee Road. White is concerned the burrows will lead to accidental injuries, property damage and health issues.
"The prairie dogs are almost to the beach. They're in the grassy area parallel to the beach," White said. "If they continue unchecked they'll take over all of the park and spread to the residential area."
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board is meeting Thursday, May 25, to look at possible solutions. Some ideas under consideration include:
- trapping and relocating the animals
- poisoning them to kill the colony
- a combination of the above options
- doing nothing
- following the example of Lubbock and Abilene and creating a contained prairie dog park — with walls that go several feet underground — as a tourist attraction.
The prairie dog colony comes from escapees of the adjacent San Angelo Nature Center, 7409 Knickerbocker Road, which houses a collection of animals native to the Southwest. A walled space was built toward the back of the center, but it didn't go deep enough underground, White said.
Prairie dogs are social, prolific animals that enjoy living in groups. While they are hard to count, he estimated there are about 500 in the park colony.
5 Facts About Prairie Dog
- Prairie dogs belong to the Sciuridae (squirrel) family. Their other biological relatives include groundhogs, chipmunks, marmots and woodchucks.
- Their tunnels contain separate "rooms" for sleeping, rearing young, storing food and eliminating waste.
- Prairie dog populations in the U.S. have reduced by more than 95 percent in the past 150 years. One of the major factors is habitat encroachment by humans.
- They have litters of three to eight, half of which usually survive their first year.
- Their colonies create habitats that benefit about 150 other species. Prairie dogs also help aerate and fertilize the soil, and help prevent soil erosion.
IF YOU GO
What: City Parks & Recreation Advisory Board meeting
When: 3:30 p.m. Thursday, May 25
Where: McNease Convention Center, 501 Rio Concho Drive.
More Information: cosatx.us/departments-services/parks-recreation/parks-recreation-advisory-board
-----
More Top Stories reads for you:
• Owner of Henry's Diner remembered for giving heart, iconic restaurant
SAN ANGELO — A passion for cooking led to a successful 44-year career in the restaurant business for San Angelo native Henry Hogeda Sr....
• Manchester bomber's father, brother arrested in Tripoli
British military personnel were sent to protect public sites and key landmarks Wednesday....
• Jaguar escaped by climbing rock wall, zoo officials say
The investigation into the Abilene Zoo's jaguar escape earlier this month is complete, zoo officials said...
• Zapata gets 10 years' probation
SAN ANGELO — A Tom Green County judge imposed a maximum of 10 years probation Tuesday in the forged-will case of San Angelo businessman Ray Castro Zapata....
• Tom Green County needs help with capital murder costs
With 10 capital murder trials on the schedule Tom Green County asking state to help with costs...
• San Angelo man sentenced to 15 years in hit-and-run
SAN ANGELO — A Tom Green County Judge sentenced a San Angelo man to 15 years in prison in the case of an August 2015 hit-and-run that resulted in the death of a 21-year-old man....
• House gives preliminary approval to voter ID bill
Republicans are trying to clean up the 2011 law found lacking by the courts, but Democrats say the measure still seeks to suppress minority turnout at the polls....
• Rambelles hoping to make a run at CWS championship
This is the reward for all the hard work and the incredible season that the No. 1-ranked Angelo State University softball team has enjoyed in 2017....
• Trump budget hard on 'forgotten' rural American supporters
Trump's budget could be punishing for the rural, working-class voters who overwhelmingly supported him...
• Graco recalls 25,000 'My Ride 65' car seats over flaw in webbing
Graco recalls more than 25,000 car seats....