Lesser prairie-chickens have been threatened in Colorado for the past 40 years. As KRCC’s Eliza Densmore reports, management of the bird is the subject of a meeting tonight in Lamar.
It’s currently estimated there are 200 to 400 lesser prairie-chickens left in Colorado. Biologists from the five states with populations of the birds have created a management plan.
Opening a dialogue with stakeholders like farmers, government representatives, and members of the public is the purpose of the meeting, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Michael Seraphin.
"If we can stabilize populations and demonstrate that activities are being taken on the ground that will protect the habitat the birds inhabit then the best course of action as far as the states are concerned is to prevent it from being listed as a federally managed species and allow the states to continue to work with the landowners and stakeholders in those states without having federal intervention."
Lesser prairie-chickens are mid-sized birds weighing one to two pounds and are members of the grouse family. The birds also live in Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
The meeting is tonight at 6 at Lamar Community College.
