by Jesse Paul, The Denver Post
State wildlife agents and police officers seized about 100 prairie dogs from a Castle Rock woman's garage Tuesday morning, weeks after they were trapped at a controversial shopping mall development site.
Wildlife officials said they were exploring options to relocate the rodents but said it was possible the prairie dogs would be killed or fed to endangered ferrets.
The animals had been trapped for relocation after arbitration by a New Mexico-based environmental firm, Bold Visions Conservation, and were being held in cages awaiting transfer. Two women offered the garage as a respite for the emigrants.
Authorities in New Mexico, however, never received an application for a relocation permit and the New Mexico ranch where the animals were slated to be placed backed out, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials.
“We just care about the prairie dogs,” said Malia Reeves, one of the two women who volunteered to watch over the animals.
Reeves filmed the early-morning seizure in a grainy video showing uniformed officers loading heavy cages onto trailers. Sobs can be heard in the background as the rodents are hauled away.
The prairie dogs were trapped in mid-March at the Promenade at Castle Rock construction site near Interstate 25 and Meadows Parkway, Reeves said. The development, which is near a large prairie dog colony, had been the subject of intense debate about expansion and preservation.
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Source: The Denver Post
