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Dozens Of Prairie Dogs Seized From Woman's Garage In Castle Rock

DENVER (AP/CBS4) - Colorado wildlife officials say they're trying to relocate dozens of prairie dogs seized from a Castle Rock garage after the animals were removed from a shopping mall development site.

SEIZED PRAIRIE DOGS 10VO.Co
(credit: Colorado Parks & Wildlife)

About 100 prairie dogs were trapped for relocation after arbitration with the developer, but plans to move them to a ranch in New Mexico fell through. On Tuesday, wildlife officers seized the animals in Castle Rock, removing them in the large tubs they had been kept in.

SEIZED PRAIRIE DOGS 10VO3.Co
(credit: Colorado Parks & Wildlife)

If relocation isn't possible, Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill says they could be euthanized and fed to black-footed ferrets, an endangered animal that is a natural predator.

People have been protesting the destruction of prairie dogs that live in underground colonies to make way for the mall.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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