12.9.1030    CAPTURE AND TRANSPORTATION OF PRAIRIE DOGS

(1) Persons who have department approval to translocate prairie dogs shall comply with the following criteria when capturing and transporting prairie dogs:

(a) prairie dogs may be captured and translocated between the dates of June 30 and October 31. Prairie dogs shall not be moved earlier or later than this time period unless a written exception is granted by the regional supervisor;

(b) persons translocating prairie dogs shall attempt to capture an entire town or portion of a town in order to move entire family units together;

(c) a translocation group shouldconsist of at least 100 black-tailed prairie dogs or 30 white-tailed prairie dogs. Permissionto translocate a smaller number of individuals may begranted by the regional supervisor;

(d) persons authorized to translocate prairie dogs shall monitor the sending and receiving areas for sylvatic plague as outlined in ARM 12.9.1035 and must notify the department immediately if presumedplague is noted;

(e) any prairie dogs that become sick or die during transport shall be examined by a qualified individual. If there is a possibility that plague is implicated in the cause of death, the entire group of animals shall be placed and remain under quarantine while the animal(s) in question is referred to a laboratory to determine whether plague is the cause of the sickness. If sylvatic plague is confirmed, the sylvatic plaque precautions described in ARM 12.9.1035 and the quarantine procedures described in ARM 12.9.1040 must be followed.

(2) The white-tailed prairie dog is the only species of prairie dog that may be translocated from a sending area outside of Montana to a receiving area within Montana. White-tailed prairie dogs from sending areas outside of Montana must be quarantined under the procedures established by ARM 12.9.1040.

History: 87-1-301, 87-5-105, MCA; IMP, 87-1-301, 87-5-105, MCA; NEW, 2004 MAR p. 1756, Eff. 8/6/04.