See Sample Letter Below

The black-footed ferret, one of the most endangered animals in North America, is facing yet another threat. Bush administration officials are forcing the U.S. Forest Service to open the Buffalo Gap National Grassland in South Dakota-home of the only successful ferret reintroduction area in the world-to prairie dog poisoning and shooting.

Prairie dogs are the ferrets' primary food source (over 90% of their diet), and ferrets can only survive in very large prairie dog colonies such as the one found in the Buffalo Gap National Grassland (managed by the U.S. Forest Service).

Black-footed ferrets were considered extinct until a few survivors were found in Wyoming in 1981. Since then a captive breeding and reintroduction effort has raised hopes that the ferrets will recover. So far, only Buffalo Gap National Grassland has proven a successful black-footed ferret recovery site. Over 200 ferrets now live here-more than all other recovery sites combined.

But now Bush administration officials are reversing this black-footed ferret recovery success achieved by National Grassland employees for political purposes. They have crafted a back-room deal with Governor Rounds of South Dakota to poison and shoot prairie dogs in Buffalo Gap National Grassland as a political favor to the Stockgrowers Association.

Please send a message (sample letter below) urging Bush administration officials to keep Buffalo Gap National Grassland closed to prairie dog shooting and poisoning.

View a map of the ferret area threatened by poisoning and shooting.

For more information, contact: Jonathan Proctor, Predator Conservation Alliance; jonathan@predatorconservation.org.

Thank you on behalf of the black-footed ferrets, prairie dogs, swift fox, burrowing owls, and all others that make Buffalo Gap their home!

[SAMPLE LETTER]

David P. Tenny
Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 2025
David.Tenny@usda.gov
202-720-7173

Dear Deputy Under Secretary Tenny,

I write to urge you to protect all prairie dog colonies in all areas designated for black-footed ferret recovery on the Buffalo Gap National Grassland. As you know, the black-footed ferret is one of the most endangered mammals in North America, and requires very large prairie dog colony complexes for food and shelter. Buffalo Gap National Grassland is home to the only successful ferret recovery area in the world. It is a national disgrace that this same area will now become the target of ferret habitat destruction through prairie dog poisoning and shooting.

The Forest Service's management plan for these federal lands designates 104,030 acres, which is less than 10 percent of the federal land, as Management Area 3.63: Black-footed Ferret Reintroduction Habitat. These areas are the only places where the needs of ferret recovery are given priority. But now the Forest Service plans to sidestep its own management plan and allow prairie dog poisoning beginning October 1 of this year, with no opportunity for public input!

The real cause of vegetation loss in this area is the ongoing drought in combination with grazing from both livestock and wildlife. In ferret recovery areas, the livestock should be removed during times of drought, not the wildlife. Voluntary incentive programs for adjacent landowners would put money in the pockets of landowners struggling with the ongoing drought, but the Forest Service's plan to poison prairie dogs will only benefit poisoning contractors while destroying public wildlife and endangered species habitat.

I am asking you to direct the Forest Service to take serious its responsibilities to recover endangered species and follow its own management plans. Please direct Forest Service officials to take the following actions in response to this unreasonable and extreme program of endangered species habitat destruction:

• uphold the Buffalo Gap National Grassland's existing management plan and immediately revoke Forest Service support for the "South Dakota Prairie Dog Management 2004-05 Inter-agency Action Plan" (August 12 letter to Governor Rounds from Acting Regional Forester Richard Stem);
• remove all livestock grazing from black-footed ferret reintroduction habitat (management area 3.63) on the Buffalo Gap National Grassland until the drought is over;
• work with the Department of Interior to release money for voluntary incentive programs for adjacent landowners who agree to maintain or increase prairie dog populations on adjacent private land, or who agree to reduce or remove livestock grazing on adjacent private lands in this drought-stricken area.

I am outraged by this turn of events and the lack of official public comment opportunities to respond to these decisions. I thank you for considering my requests. Given the timeliness of this issue I look forward to a quick reply.

Sincerely,

[your name and address here]

cc: Gale Norton, Secretary of Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington DC 20240
gale_norton@ios.doi.gov
http://www.doi.gov/contact.html
Fax: (202) 208-6956