SWCA was retained by the Department of the Army to determine the historical distribution, causes of extermination and habitat requirements of black-tailed prairie dogs, a candidate for federal listing under the Endangered Species Act. The project developed and used a black-tailed habitat suitability model to identify and rank areas for habitat suitability.

 

A total of 47 historical distribution records resulted in twelve verified study sites. The data collected by SWCA was integrated into a GIS system that was compatible with the White Sands Missile Range systems. The resulting habitat suitability model was effective in determining potentially suitable habitats for the prairie dog species across the installation. The client plans to use this information to make preservation-based decisions for the prairie dog species in the White Sands area.