1. WILDLIFE:
As FWS mulls ESA status for prairie dogs, 2 cities struggle with relocation policies

A prairie dog relocator is flushing a burrow with soapy water to force a prairie dog out so it can be captured and relocated. Photo by Trent Botkin. Courtesy of Eco Solutions.

SANTA FE, N.M. -- On a triangular spit of land abutting the parking lot of Ortiz Middle School, a prairie dog scouts for predators from the rim of its burrow next to the school's sign, oblivious to the passing traffic on busy Jaguar Drive.

Such a site is common in places like Santa Fe and Boulder, Colo., where prairie dogs, which are considered a "keystone" species, have managed to eke out an existence on patches of ground amid asphalt and concrete. In most places, prairie dogs are considered a nuisance, and typically they are poisoned, euthanized or buried in their burrows to make way for development. But in these two cities, the small, socially advanced rodents are welcome -- to a point.

Both cities have passed ordinances that require developers to move prairie dogs before construction begins if a suitable location can be found. If the animals cannot be relocated, developers can exterminate them. Go to story #1