Biologists Using GPS Collars To Help Monitor, Preserve Utah Prairie Dog
Aug 30, 2018, 11:32 AM
CEDAR CITY, Utah – For the first time ever, DWR Biologists have placed GPS collars on Utah prairie dogs just outside of Cedar City.
The process includes capturing the prairie dogs early in the morning, conducting a quick health checkup, and then fitting the them with the GPS collars. After the collars are attached, the animals are transported to a similar environment out in the wild later in the afternoon.
The GPS collars will provide valuable information about the animals’ behavior, and data will improve managements efforts to preserving the species. Utah Prairie dog trappings will continue throughout the month of September in the Cedar City area.
Utah Prairie dogs are considered a threatened species. Another reason for the relocation and monitoring is the effort to reduce conflicts with agriculture and subdivision habitation.
The transport of Utah Prairie dogs has been going on since the 1970s with limited success. The dogs are being transported to an area of native vegetation. The goal is to bolster new colonies and recovery.
