105 



1981-5 Black-footed ferret population discovered in Wyoming, 

 population is captured, bred in captivity and 

 preparations for reintroduction are made 



1985-6 Congress appropriates funding (approximately $10 



million) for Pine Ridge prairie dog control program 

 through poisoning 



1988 USFWS approves the Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Plan 

 that evaluates reintroduction on 10 suitable sites 

 including three on Cheyenne River Reservation 



1989 USFWS publishes the Black-Footed Ferret Survey 

 Guidelines for compliance with Endangered Species Act 



1990 Pine Ridge reports an increase in prairie dog 

 populations 



1990 Cheyenne River enacts a Tribal Resolution 

 requesting funding for prairie dog poisoning 



Sep 1990 USFWS recommends conservation measures on Cheyenne 



River requiring evaluations prior to any poisoning of 

 prairie dogs 



Oct 1990 Congress provides prairie dog control funds for 



Cheyenne River but directs BIA to work with the Tribe 

 and USFWS to find alternatives to poisoning and to 

 develop management to allow coexistence with 

 prairie dog populations 



1991 Cheyenne River Sioux Council adopts resolution to 

 investigate feasibility of setting aside lands for 

 black-footed ferret reintroduction 



Apr 1991 USFWS notes that all prairie dog towns of 1,000 or 



more acres affected by federal actions or funding must 

 be considered as possible ferret habitat 



Jun 1991 BIA and USFWS initiate formal consultation pursuant to 

 Endangered Species Act for Cheyenne River Reservation 

 targeting 33 1 000 acres of potential black-footed 

 ferret habitat 



Sep 1991 USFWS Biological Opinion holds that the proposed 

 action to poison prairie dogs on Cheyenne River 

 Reservation will jeopardize possible existence and/or 

 recovery of black-footed ferret 



Sep 1991 The Sierra Club and Defenders of Wildlife notify the 

 Secretary of Interior, Director of USFWS, and 

 Assistant Secretary of BIA of potential litigation 

 for illegal poisoning of prairie dogs 



Sep 1991 BIA issues Environmental Assessment concluding that 

 prairie dog control on Cheyenne River and Rosebud 

 Reservations will be suspended, but acknowledges that 

 prairie dog populations could expand and that 

 environmental degradation of the range resource 

 and economic loss to Tribe and individual tribal 

 members could occur 



