Officials: Prairie dog job complete

The final body count may never be known.

City Parks and Recreation Director Bill Bizzell said Tuesday the poisoning of prairie dogs at Ned Houk is done, and that he's done talking about it. City Manager Joe Thomas said he has "no way of determining" how many prairie dogs were dead because he didn't oversee the project.

CNJ file photo

Clovis city officials confirm the poisoning process is complete for prairie dogs at Ned Houk Park.

The one thing that is known is the city of Clovis followed proper procedure in exterminating the burrowing rodents, according to the New Mexico Department of Agriculture.

Katie Goetz, public information officer for the NMDA, said two officials were in town March 7-8 to inspect the prairie dog poisoning operation at Ned Houk Park. Goetz said the inspectors found the city's pesticide applicator to be properly licensed and knowledgeable about the work being undertaken.

In an e-mail, Goetz wrote that NMDA inspectors observed, "The applicator is taking extra precautions to protect humans and off-target animal species (pets, wildlife, and birds)."

Thomas said at this time city officials have no plans for further managing the prairie dog population at Ned Houk Park. He said in the future city officials may look into other options, such as relocation to manage prairie dog problems.

In February, landowners asked the city commission to reduce the population of prairie dogs at Ned Houk Park because they said prairie dogs were destroying the park and also migrating onto their lands, eating their crops, and ruining their pastureland.

The city commission agreed to purchase Rozol and apply the rodenticide to reduce the prairie dog population — authorizing up to $25,000 for the task.

Raymond Watt of Prairie Dog Pals said he took a video of an area where the Rozol had been applied. On Monday he submitted his video the NMDA.

A review of the video by NMDA officials is pending, Goetz said.