Montana Wants Wyoming's Prairie Dogs

By AP

Helena, Montana – A Montana request for up to 100 white-tailed prairie dogs from Wyoming goes before that state's wildlife commissioners this week.

Montana wants the animals to bolster the state's population of white-tailed prairie dogs. They exist in the western two-thirds of Wyoming, but Montana has just 10 colonies, all in Carbon County
south of Billings.

The prairie dogs serve as prey for some other animals, including the endangered black-footed ferret.

Besides existing in Wyoming and a slice of Montana, the white-tailed prairie dogs are found in Utah and Colorado. Reg Rothwell of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department says his state has the most. Rothwell says the squirrel-like animals are on hundreds of thousands of acres in Wyoming.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission meets on Friday.