PRAIRIE DOG MONITORING KIT, 1: Meet one species responsible 
for the survival of many ... we'll explain on Passport to Texas
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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife


The lonesome, high-pitched staccato vocalization of the 
black-tailed prairie dog resonates throughout the 
Panhandle Plains. 

"Prairie dogs are a keystone species. A keystone species is a 
species that needs to be there for other species to survive."

Marsha Reimer coordinates Texas nature tracker 
programs for Texas Parks and Wildlife. Once numbering 
in the millions, prairie dog colonies in Texas currently 
occupy less than 1-percent of their historic range. And 
their decline does not bode well for the species 
depending on them. 

"Prairie dog's colonies are used by up to 170 other animals. 
They are directly or indirectly dependent upon the colony. And 
they aerate the soil; they actually keep the prairie a prairie. They 
will chew down any shrubs that are within the colony. So, 
they're very important for that ecosystem."

The Texas Black-tailed Prairie Dog Watch is a program 
designed to involve people like you in the collection of 
data about prairie dog colonies. Researchers will use the 
information to help them understand the species' dramatic 
decline. And to help you help them, there's a new monitoring 
packet available.

"We created this because we need to find out what's going on 
with prairie dog colonies throughout the state of Texas; mainly 
the Panhandle and West Texas where they're found."

And we'll tell you how you can get involved tomorrow.

That's our show for to day ... For Texas Parks and 
Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti.