SIDNEY, Neb. (AP) – The Cheyenne County Commissioners are asking the USDA for help as they explore options for dealing with an exploding prairie dog population they say is threatening to overrun Sidney, Potter, and Lodgepole.
Commissioner Philip Sanders says prairie dogs caused nearly $3,000 in damage last year to 2,600 acres in Cheyenne County.
Prairie dogs are native to Nebraska and live in colonies that create vast underground tunnels. They are considered an important to the region’s ecological balance, but many property owners view them as pests eating grass while the openings to their tunnels are threats to cattle and horses.