Conserving Imperiled Prairie Dogs, Raptors & Their Grasslands

Preserving prairie dog+raptor ecosystem (start time: 5:03)  Spring has just begun, even if winter hardly visited Colorado. On the plains, prairie dog colonies seem to be in full swing.  However, populations of these keystone species have plummeted, as the grasslands they and raptor predators rely on are being fragmented by urban development, as well as oil and gas, and to some degree solar and wind, development. In this week’s show we discuss the imperiled prairie ecosystem and efforts to further conserve them, with Dr. Rich Reading, vice president of science and conservation at the Butterfly Pavilion; and Dana Bove, founder of the nonprofit Front Range Nesting Bald Eagle Studies. Click here for information about and to register for their and colleagues’ upcoming Science and Conservation Symposium (March 31 and April 14) in Denver.

Hosts: Susan Moran, Joel Parker
Show Producer: Susan Moran
Engineer: Joel Parker
Executive Producer: Beth Bennett

Listen to the show here: