I long been the bane of home builders. If the burrowing rodents, which are classified as destructive pests by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, become established in residential areas, they tend to dig up yards, discouraging home buyers. “Until recently, most developers bulldozed them or poisoned them,” says Mark Brennan, wildlife specialist for the Boulder County Parks and Open Space Dept. Yet some Coloradans find the furry creatures cute and have protested prairie dog poisoning. Builders, wary of negative publicity, have adapted to the new pro-rodent climate, and they now rarely engage in poisoning, especially in as Boulder. However, before new homes can be built on raw land, developers still need to get rid of any resident prairie dogs. Entrepreneurs have
