A total of nine prairie species are dependent upon prairie dogs, including the swift fox, ferruginous hawk, burrowing owl and the golden eagle, according to the U.S. National Wildlife Service. The swift fox has been re-introduced in the Grasslands region. The ferruginous hawk and burrowing owl are, respectively, threatened and endangered in Canada, while the golden eagle has not been categorized here. An additional 20 species opportunistically take advantage of prairie dog colonies. A whole range of other species rely on them for a portion of their life.
Prairie dogs evoke a variety of responses in people.
The Regina, Saskatchewan teacher who created this on-line prairie dog town is clearly a big fan of the amusing creatures. The same cannot be said for the folks who several years ago created Prairie Dog Hunt PRO 97 . Sarath Peiris is a journalist with the StarPhoenix newspaper in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.