Prairie dogs occupied less land in Boulder in 2025, and the city plans to continue a pilot program that helps landowners pay for barriers through 2026, according to the city’s annual prairie dog meeting held on Jan. 12.
While prairie dogs can play a key role in the ecosystem through their burrows and position in the food chain, their tendency to overgraze alongside cattle leads to topsoil loss, raising concerns that Boulder’s lands are becoming more desertlike.
Prairie dogs covered about 7% less land in 2025, with animals spread across roughly 5,100 acres, down from about 5,500 in 2024, and 11 fewer active colonies. Ecological Stewardship Senior Manager Brian Lieberman attributed the decline to removal efforts and a wet spring, as denser vegetation can hinder prairie dog expansion. The city has used lethal control methods since 2021, with those efforts focused on actively irrigated lands…