A five-hour, 350-mile journey from the West Texas town of Canyon to Fort Worth brought something good to the city-owned nature center.
About 100 black-tailed prairie dogs are now burrowing their way through the grounds of the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge.
Development threatened the colony's original habitat in West Texas, so a rescue mission was set into motion in collaboration with the nonprofit Friends of the Fort Worth Nature Center.
Moving wildlife to a new location is challenging and typically a last resort, but the ground squirrels survived the trip and are getting help as they build their new dog town in Fort Worth.
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"We are setting up prairie dog release cages. We have several of them out there if you can see them. What we're doing here is these cages protect the prairie dogs from predators from getting them while they're building their homes. We have premade the start for their holes, and we're doing everything we can here to keep these dogs happy and healthy," said Nature Center Natural Resource Technician David Reasoner in a video shared with NBC 5.
The nature center lost its previous dog colony back in 2015, likely because of disease, which is common. While the staff is optimistic the new colony will succeed, they recognize the uncertainties in relocating wildlife.
"The threat of disease, which has decimated many prairie dog populations across their range, always remains a concern," said FWNC&R Acting Manager Dr. Jared Wood in a news release. “To mitigate this risk, we will use a flea control bait specifically designed to prevent disease transmission in prairie dog colonies. This preventive measure, which does not harm the prairie dogs, is important in ensuring the long-term health and stability of the newly released animals.”
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The black-tailed prairie dogs are available for viewing every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prairie dogs are named for their habitat and warning calls, which sound similar to a dog's bark, but they are rodents; cousins of the ground squirrel. There are five species of prairie dogs with the black-tailed prairie dog named for its black-tipped tail.
ABOUT THE FORT WORTH NATURE CENTER & REFUGE
The Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge encompasses more than 3,650 acres of forests, prairies, and wetlands, and is home to a bison herd and more than 20 miles of hiking trails. It is one of the largest municipally owned nature centers in the United States. The Nature Center is located at 9601 Fossil Ridge Road in Fort Worth, and admission is $6 for adults and $2 for children.
ABOUT THE FRIENDS OF THE FORT WORTH NATURE CENTER & REFUGE
The Friends of the Fort Worth Nature Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge through advocacy and fundraising for the past 50 years. In addition to providing funding for major capital projects and other needs, the Friends offers Nature Center memberships.
