During my childhood in Cincinnati, I would often watch nature shows that took the viewer to pristine ecosystems across the country and around the globe. As I recall, one of these destinations was the vast, shortgrass prairie of the Western U.S., inhabited by bison, pronghorn, rattlesnakes, burrowing owls and, of course, prairie dogs.
Now, more than 60 years later, most of that prairie has succumbed to agriculture and urban sprawl and its wild residents have been domesticated or forced to survive on shrinking plots of grassland. An up-close reminder of this fact is evident in Metro Denver where I frequently pass small colonies of prairie dogs occupying tiny tracts of roadside habitat, including patches of grass and dirt at some intersections. One wonders how they survive; indeed, some risk a quick and unnatural death as they dart across busy streets.
While I understand the challenges of coexisting with a wide variety of wildlife, these prairie dog ghettos are disturbing sights, highlighting our unending and reckless "development" of the planet.
