Understanding prairie dog social ecology and the welfare dimensions of their persecution and conservation across North American grasslands.
Prairie dog welfare exists at the intersection of ecological necessity and active persecution. As keystone species, prairie dogs support grassland ecosystems in ways that benefit thousands of other species — their ecological role makes their welfare inseparable from the welfare of the broader grassland community. The mass poisoning events that kill entire colonies represent acute welfare suffering at population scale, while the chronic pressure of habitat loss and disease reduces prairie dog populations to isolated remnants where social disruption and resource scarcity create ongoing welfare costs. The sophisticated communication system of prairie dogs — encoding detailed information about predators — is evidence of cognitive complexity that strengthens the welfare case for treating these animals as more than agricultural pests. Conservation approaches that address sylvatic plague, reduce poisoning, and protect remaining grassland habitat provide the most impactful welfare interventions.