Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) have been subjected to intense population reduction efforts over much of their range, often resulting in scattered, remnant colonies, and possibly resulting in altered genetic characteristics. Consequently, I examined the relationships between population size reductions and the amount of genetic variability in black-tailed prairie dogs at Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota, where a wide range of colony sizes and past management histories existed. Blood samples were collected from 377 prairie dogs at 8 colonies, and were analyzed using starch-gel electrophoresis. Colonies varied in size from <20 individuals, at colonies that had been through recent population bottlenecks...
