To all of our friends and supporters out there from all of us here at Prairie Dog Pals. Best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! Woo Hoo!!!!!
Happy New Year!
Happy Solstice
…Winter is Here…..single dating sites over 40
hookup apps free
DENVER — A neighborhood was convinced Denver Water was working with them to protect a colony of prairie dogs, but the utility company decided to hire an exterminator instead.
The small rodents are living on a lot owned by Denver Water near Quebec Way and Florida Avenue. Some residents complained that the animals were digging holes and getting too close to children.
Read more: Denver
Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of Prairie Dog Pals will occur on 3 February 2019. The “usual place” is not available and we are looking at a couple of different venues. Regardless, the General Meeting will be held from 200-400 PM at a location to be determined, in Albuquerque, I’ll keep you informed of developments.
Yavapai County Board of Supervisors (AZ) Passes Proclamation Condemning Wildlife Killing Contests
YAVAPAI COUNTY, Ariz. — The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously yesterday in favor of a proclamation that opposes wildlife killing contests. Arizona citizens belonging to a coalition known as I AM WOLF NATION in partnership with Project Coyote and other wildlife and animal protection organizations have been working to end wildlife killing contests in Yavapai County and other Arizona localities. Yavapai County’s proclamation follows on the heels of a similar Dewey-Humboldt Town Council resolution that passed in November.
Read more: Yavapai
2019 PDP Calendars
We are now taking orders for the PDP 2019 calendar.
Calendars by Sharyn: Sharyn does all of the artwork for Prairie Dog Pals including the cute pictures posted on FB. The calendars are 17 x 11 (open) and have a full sized picture on the top half (8 1/2 x 11) and the calendar with highlighted PD dates on the bottom. They run from February through January and will be available for only a short time. The calendars are $20 and that includes postage. Woo Hoo, you can pay by paypal or network for good but let C Rex know that you are buying a calendar, prairiedogpals@prairiedogpals.org!
The calendars will be printed up in January and distributed. There will be some available at the annual meeting on 2 February 2019. If you pick up locally, the cost will be $15.
Order now!
Longmont City Council to consider proposed prairie dog control ordinance
Longmont City Council on Tuesday night will consider for the first time an ordinance that would require property owners to get prairie dog management permits before killing the animals on their properties.
The measure would impose new restrictions and conditions on controlling prairie dogs on both privately and publicly owned properties.
It would revise the city’s current prairie dog regulations that now generally only affect properties that have applied for formal city approval of the owners’ development or redevelopment project proposals.
Read More: Longmont
Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Relocate the Stonegate Prairie Dogs: Stop Poisoning Wildlife!
Prairie Protection Colorado (PPC) has been working with Stonegate residents to save approximately 30 surviving black-tailed prairie dogs from a recent fumitoxin poisoning in their neighborhood. The Stonegate Village Metropolitan District had every intention to poison these survivors and “finish off” this colony until residents got involved and began to fight for their relocation rather than their annihilation. A new home for these survivors has been found in Sedalia Colorado and the owners of this land would love to welcome these prairie dogs to a healthy and beautiful colony currently existing at this location.
Read more: Petition
Holiday Shopping
Don’t forget to include Prairie Dog Pals when shopping via Amazon Smile!
Rancher Takes a Chance on the Black-footed Ferret
Rancher Greg Moore is a land steward in the true
sense of the word. Every decision made, every action
taken on his 25,000-acre Wagon Mound Ranch
in the northeastern part of the state is done with
consideration of the health and improvement of the land
for all those who depend on it, including himself, his herd
of 400-some cows, and the wildlife that live on and pass
through the ranch. The ranch is under conservation
easement, held by NMLC, “to protect it from development,”
Greg explains, and to preserve all the improvements he’s
made on the property over the years.
Read more: Rancher
Garage Sale, this Weekend
The garage sale will be conducted 5219 Vista Bonita NE on Saturday between 800 AM and 300 PM! Hope to see you there.
There will be AWESOME STUFF…
Garage Sale
The final Prairie Dog Pals phantasmagorical garage sale of 2018 (Halloween is coming) will be held on Saturday, 27 October 2018, at 5219 Vista Bonita NE, between the hours of 800 AM and 300 PM. Donate, shop, or just drop by to chat! All are welcome!
If you want to donate you can drop off your treasures at 5219 Vista Bonita NE from Wednesday, 24 October, onwards. Please contact Tania or Ray at 505 237 0347 so that they can have the forklift ready to help you unload. (just kidding) Please provide an inventory (with values) if you want a tax receipt. Also it would be extremely helpful if you could price your items. I mean only you can assess the true value of your treasures, right?
If you want to help with the sale, let Ray know.
Local factors associated with on-host flea distributions on prairie dog colonies.
Abstract
Outbreaks of plague, a flea-vectored bacterial disease, occur periodically in prairie dog populations in the western United States. In order to understand the conditions that are conducive to plague outbreaks and potentially predict spatial and temporal variations in risk, it is important to understand the factors associated with flea abundance and distribution that may lead to plague outbreaks. We collected and identified 20,041 fleas from 6,542 individual prairie dogs of four different species over a 4-year period along a latitudinal gradient from Texas to Montana. We assessed local climate and other factors associated with flea prevalence and abundance, as well as the incidence of plague outbreaks. Oropsylla hirsuta, a prairie dog specialist flea, and Pulex simulans, a generalist flea species, were the most common fleas found on our pairs. High elevation pairs in Wyoming and Utah had distinct flea communities compared with the rest of the study pairs. The incidence of prairie dogs with Yersinia pestis detections in fleas was low (n = 64 prairie dogs with positive fleas out of 5,024 samples from 4,218 individual prairie dogs). The results of our regression models indicate that many factors are associated with the presence of fleas. In general, flea abundance (number of fleas on hosts) is higher during plague outbreaks, lower when prairie dogs are more abundant, and reaches peak levels when climate and weather variables are at intermediate levels. Changing climate conditions will likely affect aspects of both flea and host communities, including population densities and species composition, which may lead to changes in plague dynamics. Our results support the hypothesis that local conditions, including host, vector, and environmental factors, influence the likelihood of plague outbreaks, and that predicting changes to plague dynamics under climate change scenarios will have to consider both host and vector responses to local factors.
Read more: Fleas
Parasitism of Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs by Linognathoides cynomyis (Phthiraptera: Polyplacidae).
Abstract
The following study investigates louse parasitism of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus (Ord, Rodentia: Sciuridae)) on 20 plots at 13 colonies in the short-grass prairie of New Mexico, USA, June-August, 2011-2012. Among 124 lice collected from 537 prairie dogs during 1,207 sampling events in which anesthetized animals were combed for ectoparasites, all of the lice were identified as Linognathoides cynomyis (Kim, Phthiraptera: Polyplacidae). Data were analyzed under an information-theoretic approach to identify factors predicting louse parasitism. Lice were most prevalent on plots with high densities of prairie dogs. At the scale of hosts, lice were most abundant on prairie dogs in poor body condition (with low mass:foot ratios) and prairie dogs harboring large numbers of fleas (Siphonaptera, mostly Oropsylla hirsuta (Baker, Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae) and Pulex simulans (Baker,Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)). Lice have been implicated as supplemental vectors of the primarily flea-borne bacterium Yersinia pestis (Yersin, Enterobacteriales: Yersiniaceae), a re-emerging pathogen that causes sylvatic plague in prairie dog populations. Coparasitism by lice and fleas, as found herein, might enhance plague transmission. L. cynomyis deserves attention in this context.
Read more: Parasite
Amyloid-producing Odontoameloblastoma in a Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)
A 6-year-old female black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) was presented with a space-occupying lesion in the left submandibular region. On computed tomography, a low attenuating, poorly circumscribed mass infiltrated the left mandibular bone, with osteolytic change. Microscopically, the lesion was composed of odontogenic epithelium proliferating in nests and embedded in abundant dental papilla-like ectomesenchyme, including dentine and enamel. Multifocal amyloid deposition was observed. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic epithelial cells were positive for cytokeratin (CK) AE1/AE3, CK14 and p63. Some epithelial cells were positive for amelogenin and some adjacent to the amyloid deposits co-expressed S100. The ectomesenchymal cells expressed vimentin and strong S100 immunoreactivity was observed in odontoblast-like cells. The amyloid was immunolabelled with amelogenin. The tumour was diagnosed as amyloid-producing odontoameloblastoma.
Read more: Odontoama
Summer Garage Sale
The Summer garage sale will be held on Friday, 24 August and Saturday 25 August from 8AM to 4PM (may close earlier on Saturday if things are slow). It will be held at 917 Morris St NE and will be run by Debbie Stevenson and other volunteers. If you have donations for the Garage Sale you can contact Debbie on 505 205 7966 to arrange for a drop off.
So we have started collecting donations. If you want to help with the sale, or have something to donate, of know someone who has stuff to donate, we are now accepting volunteers and donations!
If you want an acknowledgement letter please give Ed Urbanski an inventory and value (total will work).
4,000-year-old genomes point to origins of bubonic plague
Geneticists are a step closer to understanding how plague evolved into one of the great scourges of human history. Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes bubonic plague, spreads through the bites of infected fleas. In the flea’s gut, plague bacteria multiply until a mass of bacteria blocks the passage to the flea’s stomach. The starving flea bites a host and feeds frantically, but since it can’t swallow its meal, it ends up regurgitating blood and bacteria back into its prey’s bloodstream, spreading the disease to a new host.
Read more: Plague
Impact of Sylvatic Plague Vaccine on Non-target Small Rodents in Grassland Ecosystems.
Abstract
Oral vaccination is an emerging management strategy to reduce the prevalence of high impact infectious diseases within wild animal populations. Plague is a flea-borne zoonosis of rodents that often decimates prairie dog (Cynomys spp.) colonies in the western USA. Recently, an oral sylvatic plague vaccine (SPV) was developed to protect prairie dogs from plague and aid recovery of the endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes). Although oral vaccination programs are targeted toward specific species, field distribution of vaccine-laden baits can result in vaccine uptake by non-target animals and unintended indirect effects. We assessed the impact of SPV on non-target rodents at paired vaccine and placebo-treated prairie dog colonies in four US states from 2013 to 2015. Bait consumption by non-target rodents was high (70.8%, n = 3113), but anti-plague antibody development on vaccine plots was low (23.7%, n = 266). In addition, no significant differences were noted in combined deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and western harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis) abundance or community evenness and richness of non-target rodents between vaccine-treated and placebo plots. In our 3-year field study, we could not detect a significant positive or negative effect of SPV application on non-target rodents.
Read more: Vaccine
Amazon Smile! So easy to help!
Your shopping makes a difference. Do your regular Amazon shopping at smile.amazon.com/ch/85-0392843 and Amazon donates to Prairie Dog Pals of Albuquerque.
RESISTANCE TO DELTAMETHRIN IN PRAIRIE DOG ( CYNOMYS LUDOVICIANUS) FLEAS IN THE FIELD AND IN THE LABORATORY.
Abstract
Sylvatic plague poses a substantial risk to black-tailed prairie dogs ( Cynomys ludovicianus) and their obligate predator, the black-footed ferret ( Mustela nigripes). The effects of plague on prairie dogs and ferrets are mitigated using a deltamethrin pulicide dust that reduces the spread of plague by killing fleas, the vector for the plague bacterium. In portions of Conata Basin, Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, and Badlands National Park, South Dakota, 0.05% deltamethrin has been infused into prairie dog burrows on an annual basis since 2005. We aimed to determine if fleas ( Oropsylla hirsuta) in portions of the Conata Basin and Badlands National Park have evolved resistance to deltamethrin. We assessed flea prevalence, obtained by combing prairie dogs for fleas, as an indirect measure of resistance. Dusting was ineffective in two colonies treated with deltamethrin for >8 yr; flea prevalence rebounded within 1 mo of dusting. We used a bioassay that exposed fleas to deltamethrin to directly evaluate resistance. Fleas from colonies with >8 yr of exposure to deltamethrin exhibited survival rates that were 15% to 83% higher than fleas from sites that had never been dusted. All fleas were paralyzed or dead after 55 min. After removal from deltamethrin, 30% of fleas from the dusted colonies recovered, compared with 1% of fleas from the not-dusted sites. Thus, deltamethrin paralyzed fleas from colonies with long-term exposure to deltamethrin, but a substantial number of those fleas was resistant and recovered. Flea collections from live-trapped prairie dogs in Thunder Basin National Grasslands, Wyoming suggest that, in some cases, fleas might begin to develop a moderate level of resistance to deltamethrin after 5-6 yr of annual treatments. Restoration of black-footed ferrets and prairie dogs will rely on an adaptive, integrative approach to plague management, for instance involving the use of vaccines and rotating applications of insecticidal products with different active ingredients.
Read more: PubMed
Treatment of black-tailed prairie dog burrows with deltamethrin to control fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera) and plague.
Abstract
Burrows within black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies on the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado, were dusted with deltamethrin insecticide to reduce flea (Insecta: Siphonaptera) abundance. Flea populations were monitored pre- and posttreatment by combing prairie dogs and collecting fleas from burrows. A single application of deltamethrin significantly reduced populations of the plague vector Oropsylla hirsuta, and other flea species on prairie dogs and in prairie dog burrows for at least 84 d. A plague epizootic on the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge caused high mortality of prairie dogs on some untreated colonies, but did not appear to affect nearby colonies dusted with deltamethrin.
Read more: PubMed
SEASON OF DELTAMETHRIN APPLICATION AFFECTS FLEA AND PLAGUE CONTROL IN WHITE-TAILED PRAIRIE DOG (CYNOMYS LEUCURUS) COLONIES, COLORADO, USA.
Abstract
In 2008 and 2009, we evaluated the duration of prophylactic deltamethrin treatments in white-tailed prairie dog ( Cynomys leucurus ) colonies and compared effects of autumn or spring dust application in suppressing flea numbers and plague. Plague occurred before and during our experiment. Overall, flea abundance tended to increase from May or June to September, but it was affected by deltamethrin treatment and plague dynamics. Success in trapping prairie dogs (animals caught/trap days) declined between June and September at all study sites. However, by September trap success on dusted sites (19%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 16-22%) was about 15-fold greater than on undusted control sites (1%; CI 0.3-4%; P≤0.0001). Applying deltamethrin dust as early as 12 mo prior seemed to afford some protection to prairie dogs. Our data showed that dusting even a portion of a prairie dog colony can prolong its persistence despite epizootic plague. Autumn dusting may offer advantages over spring in suppressing overwinter or early-spring flea activity, but timing should be adjusted to precede the annual decline in aboveground activity for hibernating prairie dog species. Large colony complexes or collections of occupied but fragmented habitat may benefit from dusting some sites in spring and others in autumn to maximize flea suppression in a portion of the complex or habitat year-round.
Read more: PubMed
Flea abundance, diversity, and plague in Gunnison’s prairie dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni) and their burrows in montane grasslands in northern New Mexico.
Abstract
Plague, a flea-transmitted infectious disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, is a primary threat to the persistence of prairie dog populations (Cynomys spp.). We conducted a 3-yr survey (2004-2006) of fleas from Gunnison’s prairie dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni) and their burrows in montane grasslands in Valles Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico. Our objectives were to describe flea communities and identify flea and rodent species important to the maintenance of plague. We live-trapped prairie dogs and conducted burrow sweeps at three colonies in spring and summer of each year. One hundred thirty prairie dogs and 51 golden-mantled ground squirrels (Spermophilus lateralis) were captured over 3,640 trap nights and 320 burrows were swabbed for fleas. Five flea species were identified from prairie dogs and ground squirrels and four were identified from burrow samples. Oropsylla hirsuta was the most abundant species found on prairie dogs and in burrows. Oropsylla idahoensis was most common on ground squirrels. Two colonies experienced plague epizootics in fall 2004. Plague-positive fleas were recovered from burrows (O. hirsuta and Oropsylla tuberculata tuberculata) and a prairie dog (O. hirsuta) in spring 2005 and summer 2006. Three prairie dogs collected in summer 2005 and 2006 had plague antibody. We found a significant surge in flea abundance and prevalence, particularly within burrows, following plague exposure. We noted an increased tendency for flea exchange opportunities in the spring before O. hirsuta reached its peak population. We hypothesize that the role of burrows as a site of flea exchange, particularly between prairie dogs and ground squirrels, may be as important as summer conditions that lead to buildup in O. hirsuta populations for determining plague outbreaks.
Read more: PubMed
Burrow Dusting or Oral Vaccination Prevents Plague-Associated Prairie Dog Colony Collapse.
Abstract
Plague impacts prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.), the endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) and other sensitive wildlife species. We compared efficacy of prophylactic treatments (burrow dusting with deltamethrin or oral vaccination with recombinant “sylvatic plague vaccine” [RCN-F1/V307]) to placebo treatment in black-tailed prairie dog (C. ludovicianus) colonies. Between 2013 and 2015, we measured prairie dog apparent survival, burrow activity and flea abundance on triplicate plots (“blocks”) receiving dust, vaccine or placebo treatment. Epizootic plague affected all three blocks but emerged asynchronously. Dust plots had fewer fleas per burrow (P < 0.0001), and prairie dogs captured on dust plots had fewer fleas (P < 0.0001) than those on vaccine or placebo plots. Burrow activity and prairie dog density declined sharply in placebo plots when epizootic plague emerged. Patterns in corresponding dust and vaccine plots were less consistent and appeared strongly influenced by timing of treatment applications relative to plague emergence. Deltamethrin or oral vaccination enhanced apparent survival within two blocks. Applying insecticide or vaccine prior to epizootic emergence blunted effects of plague on prairie dog survival and abundance, thereby preventing colony collapse. Successful plague mitigation will likely entail strategic combined uses of burrow dusting and oral vaccination within large colonies or colony complexes.
Read More: PubMed
Plague in a Colony of Gunnison’s Prairie Dogs ( Cynomys gunnisoni) Despite Three Years of Infusions of Burrows with 0.05% Deltamethrin to Kill Fleas.
Abstract
At Valles Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico, US, infusing Gunnison’s prairie dog ( Cynomys gunnisoni) burrows with an insecticide dust containing 0.05% deltamethrin killed fleas which transmit bubonic plague. The reduction in the number of fleas per prairie dog was significant and dramatic immediately after infusions, with a suggestion that the reduction persisted for as long as 12 mo. Despite the lower flea counts, however, a plague epizootic killed >95% of prairie dogs after 3 yr of infusions (once per year). More research is necessary for a better understanding of the efficacy of insecticide dusts at lowering flea counts and protecting prairie dogs from plague.
- PMID:
- 29286262
- DOI:
- 10.7589/2017-04-089
Read more: PubMed
Love or hate them, prairie dogs play role in ecosystem
Prairie dogs – some hate them, some love them. Regardless, they play a vital role in the sagebrush and grass landscape of Wyoming.
“They can cause a lot of problems for landowners,” turning a hayfield into an 18-hole golf course, admitted Destin Harrell, wildlife biologist with the BLM’s Cody Field Office. Yet, he pointed out, they enrich the land by building dirt towns and have an extensive web of dependent species. He championed their persistence and preservation.
“There are places we want them and places we don’t want them,” he added, and it’s important to identify those areas.
Read More: Cody
What’s so great about prairie dogs anyway?
What’s so great about prairie dogs anyway?
Lindsey Sterling Krank with the Humane Society of the United States’ Prairie Dog Coalition presented on the prairie dog populations and conservation efforts underway to protect these rapidly declining and often misunderstood animals. Krank highlighted three main points in favor of preserving prairie dog populations: they are a keystone species, they have a complex communication system, and 95 percent of their population has been eliminated already.
Krank explained prairie dogs are a keystone species because 200 other species are associated with them and their habitats and nine other species directly rely on them. Prairie dogs contribute to their ecosystem by providing a prey species to certain predators like hawks. Krank cited the example of Ferruginous Hawks, whose numbers are in decline because of habitat loss, prey loss and because of secondary poisoning through prairie dogs being poisoned. In addition to being prey, other species utilize their burrows, like Black-Footed Ferrets, Burrowing Owls and the Mountain Plover. Krank also stated prairie dogs provide more floral abundance and don’t actually destroy the grasslands around them, but keep the grass shorter to monitor for predators near their burrows. “The more heterogeneity, the more biodiversity,” Krank added.
Krank presented research by Dr. Don Slobadchikoff, who studied the prairie dogs language, which has been decoded more than the communication of whales, chimpanzees and dolphins. The prairie dogs have alarm calls that vary based on species, with Krank playing their distinct alarms for coyotes, dogs and humans, noting they never confuse dogs and coyotes, even when the two are similar in appearance. Prairie dogs also have a sentence structure that includes nouns, adjectives and verbs, confirmed in a study where the same woman approached a prairie dog colony in differently colored shirts and the alarms varied when describing the color of the shirt. Slobadchikoff’s research also found prairie dogs have different dialects by region and local districts.
There are five species of prairie dogs and all have lost a combined 95 percent of their population through habitat loss, poisoning, recreational shooting and sylvatic plague. Krank noted “the perception that prairie dogs are everywhere because you see them in medians” and in other small spaces where they don’t belong isn’t accurate, because finding them in those locations means urban sprawl and agricultural expansion has chased them out of the spaces they would normally live. Krank also noted a lot of the acceptance for poisoning the animals comes from research done by C.H. Merriam which gained popularity during the New Deal Era when he concluded it takes 318 prairie dogs to eat as much grass as one cow, which was inaccurate because the prairie dogs don’t destroy the grass, just trim it and this justified moving cattle into the prairie dogs existing habitats.
Sylvatic plague is not a disease native to prairie dogs, but is given to them by bacteria carried in fleas. Prairie dogs actually are not carriers and don’t have an immunity to the plague, they die from it, unlike unaffected carriers like coyotes and 77 other species. In humans, the plague can be treated with a 10-day course of antibiotics and it’s largely no longer a significant health threat. To combat the plague, conservationists are using mild pesticides to kill the fleas and are immunizing prairie dogs and black footed ferrets with a vaccine distributed with oral bait.
To change the public perception of prairie dogs, conservationists are framing the discussion from a cost-benefit angle. Poisoning prairie dogs is actually an economic loss, Krank explained and because they are a prey species, having colonies near where people live keeps dogs and cats safer. There is also more forage for other animals on prairie dog colony areas than off.
Prairie dog recovery relies on identifying key conservation areas, working with willing partners and completing wild to wild relocation or translocation efforts or building up passive relocation, like establishing natural barriers to encourage them to move out of dangerous areas. When completing relocations, coteries (family units) have to be kept together. Advocates are also looking at incentivized and voluntary landowner conservation efforts. The last attempt at landowner incentives fell through when plague killed the population in question before anything was finalized. There are several ways concerned individuals can help prairie dogs by donating to the Prairie Dog Coalition or “adopting” prairie dogs. More information can be found at http://www.humanesociety.org/about/departments/prairie_dog_coalition/index.html.
Valles Caldera’s prairie dog ecology study
One of Prof. John Hoogland’s students, Mariana Rodriguez (a local resident here in the Jemez Mts.) has constructed a website about the Valles Caldera’s prairie dog ecology study. Check it out at: prairiedoghoogland.com
Please feel free to pass along to any interested parties!
Cheers,
Bob
******************************
Dr. Robert R. Parmenter
Division Chief, Science and Resource Stewardship
Valles Caldera National Preserve
National Park Service
P.O. Box 359, 090 Villa Louis Martin
Jemez Springs, NM 87025-0359 USA
Office: 575-829-4850; Cell: 505-699-6203
Email: robert_parmenter@nps.gov
Website: https://www.nps.gov/vall/index.htm
******************************
New Link!
What we do for wildlife:
1. We gather scientifically valid, research grade data on our local animals to help validate and document their existence. We focus on the larger animals; black bears, mule deer, mountain lions, elk, pronghorn, and bobcats, but we gather information and document the little guys too, as well as birds, insects, and reptiles.
2. We help people live with, rather than kill, their wild neighbors. We give talks, write articles, respond to emailed questions, host a website, and train volunteers in wildlife track and sign identification.
How you can help us, and our wild relatives:
1. Renew your membership/make a donation! It really does help us!
2. Send us your animal stories/sightings, this really helps them! You can send to me at 4winged@gmail.com or directly to: iNaturalist.org · Pathways
3. Drive slowly in Placitas! and watch out for your wild neighbors.
Thank You! from all of us at Pathways: Wildlife Corridors of NM
City officials respond to prairie dog commotion
WICHITA FALLS, Tx (RNN Texoma) –
Hundreds of people are upset with a new project at Kiwanis Park.
Jim Dockery, the Wichita Falls Deputy City Manager, said what once started with two prairie dogs 40 years ago has now turned into a big health concern after they escaped their containment area. Read more: Texas
Activists push Longmont to put new restrictions on extermination of prairie dogs
Prairie dog protection activists want the Longmont City Council to impose new restrictions on private property owners’ current ability to exterminate prairie dogs.
Prairie dogs hang out munching some grass in Boulder County. Read more: Longmont
Spring Garage Sale
The Spring garage sale will be held on Friday, 16 March and Saturday 17 March from 8AM to 4PM (weather permitting). It will be held at 917 Morris St NE and will be run by Debbie Stevenson and other volunteers. If you have donations for the Garage Sale you can contact Debbie on 505 205 7966 or Ed Urbanski on 505 296 1937 to arrange for a drop off. As it will be PD season it would be best if you contacted Debbie for the drop off.
So we have started collecting donations today. If you want to help with the sale, or have something to donate, of know someone who has stuff to donate, we are now accepting volunteers and donations!
If you want an acknowledgement letter please give Ed Urbanski an inventory and value (total will work).
Spring Season Begins!
The 2018 season begins. On 9 March, Debbie, Jim and C Rex were out at Indian School trapping. The weather was pleasant if not a bit cool. We set out the traps and waited. Debbie believes that the PDs are a bit skittish and I would have to agree as the PD in the trap was the only one C Rex saw. We are clearing this site in advance of construction. In 2017 we removed 125 but there were a few hold outs that we are trying to get! Woo Hoo it begins again!
Debbie shows how it’s done!
T Shirts!
Available for a limited time only (well maybe longer if we sell them all). Thanks to Jim T we have acquired a number of black, XL, T shirts that we are selling for $20 each. They are excellent quality, 100% cotton and look really sharp. What better way to start the spring than with a new PD t shirt that supports PDP’s efforts! We now have a square account so can take credit cards, or you could do Network for Good or Paypal, but you must let me know that it was for a T shirt. Shipping is $5, so the total would be $25. The t shirts would be shipped via USPS! Woo Hoo. You can email C Rex at prairiedogpals@prairiedogpals.org
Return of BLACK DEATH? Scientists uncover PLAGUE in soil and water after over 200 DEATHS
DEADLY bacteria that triggers a plague could be hiding in soil and water sources across the globe, causing a serious risk to the public’s health, after the disease tore across Madagascar last year killing 202 people, it has been claimed.
Read more: Plague
What’s Going Down in Prairie Dog Town
Note: The following is a fund raiser to publish a book through the Jane Goodall Institute/Roots and Shoots. You can check it out by following the link to the page.
My name is Alan Bartels. During breakfast with my friend, Jane Goodall, it was suggested that I write a children’s book about prairie dogs and the many animals which rely on prairie dogs for food, and use their burrows for shelter. The book is now written and illustrated. The illustrator and I are donating the proceeds of this book to Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program. And, Jane wrote the foreword to the book. We need $12,000 for printing, for marketing, website development and creation of promotional materials and nationwide distribution.
Prairie dogs inhabit less than 1% of their former range. What is left is highly fragmented. This book makes enemies of nobody, and teaches that anyone can make a difference – even a young child. I hope you’ll make a difference by contributing today. Thank you.
Link: What’s Going Down in Prairie Dog Town
Minutes of the Annual Meeting
The annual meeting was conducted on 28 January 2018; you can click on the link below to read the minutes of the meeting.
Precedence Day!
Look, I’m sorry, I know a lot of you celebrate presidents day (go buy a mattress, jos a banks suit, or battery), but it is actually precedence day. I mean who were the original sculptors of the west…really! 
Amazon Shoppers
Amazon Shoppers: There has been considerable discussion about how to use amazon smile to benefit Prairie Dog Pals. If you use this link when you shop Amazon a portion of your purchase will benefit Prairie Dog Pals. The link is basically amazon smile + our tax number: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/85-0392843
The Story of Peanut and Penelope: Amarillo’s Beloved Prairie Dog Finds Love
AMARILLO – In December, we introduced you to Peanut the prairie dog.
He is one of the lovable and well-known rescues at Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Peanut is now officially off-the-market.
The same wit and charm that made him a favorite on social media has snagged him a companion.
When we first met Peanut, it was all about Cheerios and his new bachelor pad, but a lot has changed in two months.
Now it’s all about snuggles with his new boo.
Read more: PDs in love….
Biscuit the Packrat disses Phil, Elmo in her spring prediction
MEDICINE PARK Well, it was Groundhog Day, again – at least in some parts of the country.
In the cobblestone community, Punxsutawney Phil and his groundhog brethren were cast aside as false prophets bearers of untrue weather forecasts and fake news. Friday was not “Groundhog Day;” it was “Packrat Day.” Even Elmer Thomas Elmo and his prairie dog compatriots were not immune from scorn, as the Medicine Park Aquarium and Natural Sciences Center consulted its own prophesying prodigy rodent, Biscuit the Packrat, to determine whether Southwest Oklahoma would see six more weeks of winter or enjoy an early spring.
Doug Kemper, executive director, said Biscuit would not hold back against anyone who questioned her abilities or her standing as the portending packrat.
“Perhaps if they wanted to be taken more seriously, they could come out more often, instead of staying inside for the whole winter and only appearing after spring has arrived,” he said.
It was a cold, blustery and fairly wintry Friday morning when residents and delegates gathered at the aquarium to hear the prognostications of the packrat. When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing among the people and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, few could imagine a better fate.
Among the crowd was Mayor Jennifer Ellis, decked in a bright red coat and sparkling black top hat the true uniform of the master of ceremonies. She gave a short speech that emphasized the history of the holiday formerly known as Groundhog Day while espousing the foretelling nature of Biscuit’s talents. Phil may be the only true “groundhog forecaster,” but groundhog forecasters don’t have an impeccable track record. A packrat’s record is still pristine.
“At first, when Biscuit the Packrat first came to the Medicine Park Aquarium, the staff thought she was an ordinary southern plains packrat,” Ellis said. “However, after careful observation, we think Biscuit may have strange meteorological powers. Perhaps, Biscuit is able to predict future weather events. Or perhaps not.”
Biscuit, happily sheltered from the biting cold and blustery winds in a plastic ball, was plucked from a cardboard box and held up in the air for all gathered to see. The sun shone brightly overhead in the morning hours, but Biscuit claimed not to have seen a shadow. Perhaps it was the plastic diffusing the solar rays. Perhaps it was the poor eyesight of the packrat. Or perhaps Biscuit knew something no one else in attendance did that groundhogs cannot predict the weather and their methods are flawed. But the presumptuous packrat predicted an early spring no matter whether a shadow was spotted or not.
Slow news day or Prairie Dog Day Doldrums?
If you missed Kim Fundingsland’s amusing pondering “No groundhog for Minot” Friday, pick the issue back up or check it out online. Kim – awarded in 2017 by the North Dakota Newspaper Association for a humor column – takes on Punxsutawney Phil and Groundhog Day and suggested that we in Minot need our own psychic rodent. The only problem? Our region doesn’t have any! We have prairie dogs, but there is not a Prairie Dog Day and it isn’t the same critter anyway. Well Kim heard from readers who agreed that the community needs to find, support and create a whole new celebration around a local groundhog – or at least that it’s good in theory.
“While it does smack a bit of animal (or even people) cruelty – dragging a sleeping victim out of his quiet, warm, cozy den into the frigid Minot air (without so much as a hot cup of coffee), into the chaotic cacophony of a horde of raucous revelers creating an unconscionable amount of noise not conducive to a gentle awakening – the idea has some merit,” wrote Frances.
“Merit for what good purpose sadly escapes me.”
“However, should you carry on with this Quixotic quest for more Minot magic, we wish you full speed ahead. And if you are the courageous one destined to brave the claws and teeth of a grumpy rodent, underwhelmed at the prospect of immense popularity at the expense of a good winter’s sleep, we advise thick leather gloves – and remind you to make sure your shots are all up to date.”
“Yes! Bring on Magic City Melvin!” argued email writer Deb. “We do indeed have woodchucks in this area, at Long Lake for certain. I have seen them a couple of times there.
“I’d be in the crowd with a cup of hot coffee in hand, ready to welcome this little furry prognosticator! What fun to have our own local weather hero! ND residents certainly know the realities of winter here, but we are also an optimistic population that can look at the hopeful side (no matter how misguided), whether he sees his shadow or not!”
There are worse causes. If anyone has an idea how to get the needed support for our good friends at Roosevelt Park Zoo to adopt an honest-to-goodness groundhog around which we can launch a new holiday, drop Kim a line at kfundingsland@minotdailynews.com.
New exhibit could be coming to El Paso Zoo
The exhibit would also feature plants and trees that are found in the Chihuahuan Desert.
Finally, the zoo would create exhibits for wolves, mountain lions, jaguars, thick-billed parrots, prairie dogs, reptiles and several other animals found in the desert.
Read more: El Paso
Nebraska Prairie Dog Bill Could Come up Again This Year
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An attempt to overturn Nebraska‘s prairie dog management law could surface again in this year’s legislative session after an earlier effort failed.
Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha designated the repeal bill as his priority on Wednesday, increasing the odds it will get debated again.
Chambers is trying to undo a law that allows county officials to kill black-tailed prairie dogs on private property if a neighbor complains. Senators voted 21-17 in favor of the bill last month, four votes short of what was needed to advance it.
Chambers says the law doesn’t provide adequate due-process rights to landowners who don’t mind the animals on their property because it lets county officials venture onto land without a warrant or property notification.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Update from Wildlife Conservation Advocacy SW
Good Morning:
First thank you to all who are reading this email and who have written letters to the ABQ City Council asking for their support for the Resolution R-18-5 which opposes coyote killing contests and supports statewide efforts to ban contests.
Resolution R-18-5 will be heard in the “Finance and Government Committee” meeting on Feb 12 (Monday) at 5pm at the City Hall on Civic Plaza on the 9th floor. If the resolution passes this committee then it will move to a full council vote hopefully on February 21. I hope some of you can attend these meetings. Also feel free to forward this email to anyone you know living in the area who might attend the meetings. The meetings are not overly long but the Councilors will be asking for comments. There is a parking garage and you will be given a voucher so you will not have to pay.
Here are the links:
For the Resolution: https://cabq.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3307652&GUID=4358FCA6-2DF1-4CC9-A2A5-8AEF37377C58&Options=ID|Text|&Search=r-18-5
For the Finance and Government Committee members: https://www.cabq.gov/council/committees#standing
All city council members contact info: https://www.cabq.gov/council/find-your-councilor
Please let us know if you have any questions. We am grateful. THANK YOU.
PO Box 2578
Los Lunas, NM 87031
505-269-3757 (Guy)
505-269-6534 (Elisabeth)
Legislative Update from NM Wild (the Wilderness Alliance’s political arm)
On Sunday, February 11th at 10 am, the New Mexico State Legislature’s House State Government, Indian, and Veteran’s Affairs Committee will hear three important memorials.
The first is House Memorial 53 (Rubio/Garcia-Richard), which would study ways to increase ecotourism on New Mexico’s state lands.
The second is House Memorial 81 (
The third is House Memorial 85 (Lente), which calls for protection of the Greater Chaco Landscape from rampant oil and gas production.
All three of these memorials are important and should be supported. If you can, attend the hearing in person and voice support for them! If you cannot attend in person, consider contacting members of the committee and asking them to support all three. Contact information for members of the Committee can be found at the following link: https://nmlegis.gov/Committee/Standing_Committee?CommitteeCode=HSIVC
Annual Meeting at 1 PM on 1/28/18 at 12700 Montgomery Blvd NE!!!!!!
The 2017 Newsletter is Here
Annual Meeting James Joseph Dwyer Police Memorial Substation, 12700 Montgomery Blvd NE at 1PM on 28 January!
Deadline Looming to Comment on New Prairie Dog Plan
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The deadline to weigh in on a new federal plan that would loosen contentious endangered-species protections for Utah prairie dogs is looming.
The public-comment period closes Thursday on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan that would allow prairie dogs to be killed or removed from private property more often.
Comments can be submitted on regulations.gov or mailed to the fish and wildlife service headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia.
Read more: Plan
What if your pet could really ‘talk’ to you?
Sometimes you wish you could read your pet’s mind. Why does your dog hide when the vacuum cleaner comes out but bark like mad at the dishwasher? How come your cat sometimes turns up her nose at her favorite food?
In many instances, we can figure out pets. Standing at the back door or hovering over a food bowl isn’t tough to interpret. But there are plenty of other situations that sometimes leave us baffled. For example, the pet might be sick and would not like to eat. Some pet owners will probably interpret this as the pet being picky about the food provided. But, many would understand such behavior and provide them with the appropriate food (from Dr. Marty Pets supplement store for instance) that can help the pet to overcome the sickness. Some people might also consult veterinarians, trainers, and behaviorists for help. For instance, have you seen your pet, especially your dog barking like a madman when they find the area rug or carpet missing? Yes, they do it oftentimes. You might not realize it, but when you opt for a Carpet Cleaning or wash the item yourself, your furry friend might become a bit upset because that might be his usual spot to roll. Canines can easily get upset and display their anger by barking. However, not many understand this!
But, it is still possible to communicate with your pet, especially a dog if your train them properly and have a special bond where you can interpret their actions to understand what they want to say. You may have to understand the breed of your dog, for instance, if you plan to get a pet that belongs to the calmest of the doodle breeds, you will probably have to train him to react to strangers, or kids, or teach how to ask for food, etc. so that the dog can let you know what he needs.
But soon we may just have to listen and a pet translator will tell us what’s going on.
However, this is also true that we cannot run to the vet every time our pets growl or show some sickness. Of course, it is best that a vet examines our furry friends if they have suddenly stopped eating or are displaying any uncommon behaviors, but keeping ourselves aware of some of the problems and their solutions is what’s needed. It is us whom our furry friends look up to for any solution, and we certainly cannot betray them.
While most of the time their change in behavior is due to a change in the environment or the weather, but can sometimes also be due to a contaminated food product. This is why it is immensely important to look at the pet food warnings and determine what not to feed our cute canine, as preventing a problem from happening is way better than finding a solution afterward.
If we keep ourselves informed and know the right action to take as soon as something happens, we may possibly avoid the risk of losing our four-legged companion.
Con Slobodchikoff, a professor emeritus of biology at Northern Arizona University and the author of “Chasing Doctor Dolittle: Learning the Language of Animals,” is a pioneer in animal communication.
Read more: Talking
Boulder County Parks and Open Space euthanizes majority of prairie dogs it ‘controls’
For Shame!
Boulder County Parks and Open Space conducted “live trappings” of prairie dogs at seven properties in 2017 — six of them on areas designated “no prairie dog” zones — but the majority of the trapped rodents were destined for raptor and black-footed ferret programs.
Read more: Boulder
Prairie Dog Pals Annual Meeting
Say, did you hear that Prairie Dog Pals is having an annual meeting?
Yes! It is at the James Joseph Dwyer Police Memorial Substation on 28 January 2018 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM! Are you going?
You Betcha!
A firearms business in Albuquerque plans to hold a coyote-killing contest on December 30 and 31.
For Immediate Release December 28, 2017
Media Contacts:
• Elisabeth Dicharry, Wildlife Conservation Advocacy Southwest,
wcasouthwest@gmail.com, 505-269-6534
• Brenda McKenna, Albuquerque Board Member for Wildlife Conservation Advocacy SW
505-263-7553
• Guy Dicharry, Attorney at Law, Wildlife Conservation Advocacy SW, 505-269-3757
Press Release
A firearms business in Albuquerque plans to hold a coyote-killing contest on December
30 and 31. The killing contest is advertised as the “Second Annual Butch’s Guns Coyote
Calling Challenge”.
In a statement setting out the position of the City of Albuquerque Mayor’s Office, Interim
Director of Communications Alicia Manzano wrote, “Mayor Keller has always opposed
coyote hunting competitions. To that end, the City of Albuquerque will strictly enforce any
violation of ordinances pertaining to these competitions.”
Coyote killing contestants race to kill coyotes for prizes and money. Two-person teams in
trucks and ATVs usually use high-powered firearms capable of firing long distances to
maim and kill coyotes after luring them in with electronic calling devices. Contest rules
state that one child under the age of 14 may accompany a team. Contestants have no
other age restrictions.
Though the contest is sponsored and organized by an Albuquerque business, the teams
will probably be using public and unincorporated lands to kill coyotes in Bernalillo County
and other counties within about a 50-75+ mile radius of Albuquerque. In addition to
coyotes, non-target wildlife, domestic animals, and the public are at risk. It is a holiday
weekend and many people will be out and about on public lands, particularly in light of our
warm temperatures and dry weather.
These contests are indiscriminate and inhumane. Contestants attempt to bring coyotes to
the ground often by intentionally shooting them in the hindquarters and abdomen. Some
wounded coyotes may escape but die slowly from hemorrhage or septic infection. For
those who do not escape, blocks or PVC pipes recording kill dates and times are forced
between the canine teeth and secured with zip ties or electric tape. Given the large
number of times a coyote can be shot using semi-automatic weapons to bring it to the
ground, any fur is typically unusable. The carcasses are brought to a specified location,
counted, and then summarily discarded in some unknown, often public, location.
Coyote killing contests do not protect livestock, game animals, or companion
animals. The contests are conducted for private profit by offering prizes, entertainment,
2
camaraderie, target practice (using living wildlife), and to promote businesses that sell
firearms, ammunition, accessories, and electronic callers. These events are not
monitored or regulated. The authority of New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
regulations excludes coyotes. Promoters may hold contests with contestants killing
coyotes without the need for a hunting license, and with no regard to bag limits, seasons,
gender, age, or methods of killing. Contestants are not required to report to Game and
Fish the number of coyotes killed.
At least 30 coyote killing contests happen every year throughout New Mexico with some
of these contests organized by groups and businesses in the middle Rio Grande valley. In
2013, 2015, and 2017, the State Legislature introduced and voted on legislation to ban
coyote-killing contests. In 2015 and 2017, the Senate voted in favor of the ban.
Killing contests promote wanton unnecessary killing that a majority of voters, including
ethical hunters, find abhorrent. New Mexicans from all corners of the state and all walks
of life—including conservationists, hunters, gun-owners and many ranchers—
oppose wildlife-killing contests. Public opposition to killing contests is not based on anti-
gun or anti-hunting viewpoints. Killing contests send a violent message that killing is fun,
our native wildlife is disposable, and life is cheap. Killing contests do nothing to help
attract businesses, new residents, or support our valuable tourism industry. Killing
contests are counterproductive to holistic land management practices, science-based
wildlife management, public health and safety.
We hope the Albuquerque City Council will pass a resolution stating both its opposition to
coyote killing contests and its support for legislation to prohibit coyote killing contests.
Christmas, Hannukah, Soltstice, Kwanzaa, Festivus 2017….
From all of us at Prairie Dog Pals to all of you out there in the world, wherever your burrow may be, we wish you a very peaceful and joyous Christmas, and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! Lest we forget, may the blessing of the Solstice be upon you, and Happy Hannukah, and Kwanzaa, and last but not least Festivus! Rejoice!!! The cycle has begun once again! Yip Yip Yip (ho ho ho in prairiedogese)
Prairie dog endangered-species plan eases rules under Trump
Salt Lake City • Wildlife managers under the Trump administration are moving to loosen endangered-species protections for Utah prairie dogs, flipping the script in a long-running conflict over federal policies in a town where residents say they’re overrun by the creatures.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan would allow prairie dogs to be killed or removed from private property more often, relaxing regulations designed to protect the species.
Read more: Guidelines
History of Plague in the United States
The following is from a historical document by the CDC; it documents the history of Plague in the United States.
Historically, bubonic plague has been responsible for a number of notable pandemics. The disease appears to have a strong, long-term,
cyclic tendency. It flares up on a global scale and then slowly retreats to smoulder in endemic centers. During the last 15 centuries, four
important pandemics have been recorded: the pandemic of 542 to 600 A. D., which began during the reign of the Emperor Justinian and involved the whole Roman world; the “Black Death” of the 14th century, some of which wascertainly plague, and which caused an estimated loss of 25 million lives, one-fourth of the entire population of Europe alone; the pandemic of the 15th, 16tli, and 17th centuries, which culminated in the “Great Plague of London,” 1664 to 1665; and the present pandemic, which began in 1894 and is now receding. Between pandemics, notable epidemics have been recorded in countries all over the world. There is also reason to believe that there are endemic centers in portions of Africa and Asia, which represent the points of origin of all pandemics (1).
Read more: Plague
Biologists With Drones And Peanut Butter Pellets Are On A Mission To Help Ferrets
In central Montana, drones are dropping peanut butter pellets on prairie dog colonies. It’s part of an effort by biologists to save North America’s most endangered mammal — the black-footed ferret (or as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service calls it, the BFF).
Read more: Ferret
Loyal Mehrhoff: Protect the Endangered Species Act
Since the new Congress took over in January, anti-wildlife politicians have launched 63 legislative attacks on the Endangered Species Act — despite the law’s immense success and broad public support. Attacks from Congress are largely to satisfy the fossil fuel industry and other special interests that oppose being regulated.
Calls to gut the Endangered Species Act are dangerous and damaging to the work of preserving our natural heritage. Instead, Congress should provide more funding to help save our most imperiled wildlife.
Read more: Mehrhoff
US Rejects Federal Protection for White-tailed Prairie Dogs
PINEDALE, WYOMING —
The white-tailed prairie dog will not be declared an endangered or threatened species after the U.S. government deemed on Tuesday there was no da
nger despite declines in its population from human development and disease.
Read more at: Pinedale
Thomas Mitchell: Constitution stretched to the breaking point
An opposing viewpoint: (To protecting Utah prairie dogs)
If words can mean anything anyone says they mean, then words are meaningless. That is what the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has done with the Commerce Clause of the Constitution.
The appellate court overturned a federal judge who found that the Commerce Clause does not give Congress the power under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to regulate a species that exists only within the boundaries of one state and has no commercial value whatsoever — specifically the Utah prairie dog.
Read more: Viewpoint
Letters to the editor
|
Prairie dogs have a new plague vaccine
Posted Nov. 15, 2017
A new oral vaccine bait can help protect prairie dogs against sylvatic plague and possibly assist in the recovery of black-footed ferrets, one of the most endangered mammals in North America.
Sylvatic plague, a bacterial disease caused by Yersinia pestis, affects numerous wild and domestic animal species as well as humans. Developed specifically for prairie dogs by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the peanut butter–flavored vaccine elicits a protective immune response that can help vaccinated prairie dogs fight off infection after later exposure to the disease. Read more: Vaccine
Zoo Day: Prairie Dog
SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) – They’re a member of the squirrel family, but they get their name because of their bark-like call.
It was actually early settlers that gave the prairie dog its name.
There are five different species of prairie dogs, four of which are found in the US and one endangered species found only in Mexico.
Read more: Zoo
In Utah, the Federal Government Puts Prairie Dogs Over People
The question for the U.S. Supreme Court is whether protecting rodents counts as ‘interstate commerce.’
In southwestern Utah, federal regulations are artificially pitting people against prairie dogs—to neither’s benefit. There are about 80,000 Utah prairie dogs in the region, and the species is listed as threatened. Read more at Utah
Mammalian Hosts, Vectors, and Bacterial Pathogens in Communities with and without Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in Northwestern Mexico.
Abstract
The presence of keystone species can influence disease dynamics through changes in species diversity and composition of vector and host communities. In this study, we compared 1) the diversity of small mammals; 2) the prevalence, abundance, and intensity of arthropod vectors; and 3) the prevalence of Yersinia pestis, Francisella tularensis, and Bartonella spp. in vectors, between two grassland communities of northern Sonora, Mexico, one with (La Mesa [LM]) and one without (Los Fresnos [LF]) black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). The mammal community in LF exhibited higher species richness and diversity than LM, and species composition was different between the two communities. Flea species richness, prevalence, abundance, and intensity, were higher in LM than in LF. The most abundant fleas were Oropsylla hirsuta and Pulex simulans, and C. ludovicianus was the host with the highest flea intensity and richness. There was no serologic evidence for the presence of Y. pestis and F. tularensis in any community, but Bartonella spp. was present in 18% of the total samples. Some specificity was observed between Bartonella species, flea species, and mammal species. Although prairie dogs can indirectly affect the diversity and abundance of hosts and vectors, dynamics of vector-borne diseases at these spatial and temporal scales may be more dependent on the vector and pathogen specificity.
On the road to RECOVERY!!!!
Several months ago Jim T took on a challenge which C Rex thought would end up in euthanasia. We had captured a “perfectly healthy” prairie dog from Phil Chacon Park. After a week in the tank with the other PDs from the area, this one looked HORRIBLE. C Rex checked it again for all the obvious problems but nothing, the prairie dog couldn’t even stand on its own. Jim took it to Doctor Levenson along with Toothy II and to C Rex’s surprise, it was released back into Jim’s care. Jim is a trooper and set about getting the PD rehydrated and fed. After a few days, the PD passed the plastic tip of a syringe PLUS a lot of stored up poop. The PD has been improving ever since, and here’s a picture from yesterday! This was a true miracle accomplished through Jim’s diligence and commitment.
Little kiss on the prairie: Two loved-up prairie dogs appear to caress each other and lean in for a smooch
- Photographer spotted two prairie dogs snuggling up to each other in a zoo
- Adorable photographs show the two animals appearing to kiss
- The moment took place in at the Attica Zoological Park in Spata, Greece
Read More: Greece
Refuge Day 2017
Yvonne B, Jim T, and Cynomys Rex tabled at Refuge Day at the Sevilleta National Wildlife 
Refuge! It was a stellar day until the wind lifted the canopy off! Fortunately it was near the end of the day. There was a lot of interest in Toothy II, Jim’s foster Gunnison and Prairie Dog Pals’ activities. C Rex also provided a “scholarly” (bawdy) discussion of the mating habits of Gunnison’s prairie dogs titled “Sex about Town” or Sirens and Studs of the Sevilleta! Woo Hoo!
Medieval diseases are making a grim comeback
The Black Death was little short of a bacterial apocalypse. The outbreak of bubonic plague, imported along the Silk Road, is thought to have killed between 25m and 50m people as it rampaged through 14th-century Europe. The disease thence resurfaced sporadically: the Great Plague of London, for example, felled a fifth of city dwellers in the 1660s.
While the plague seems to us a medieval affliction, it has never fully disappeared. On average, about 500 cases are documented globally each year, mostly in Africa, South America and India. The infection is treatable with antibiotics if caught early.
Read More: Plague
Wildlife Partners Unite to Protect Iconic Species from Deadly Plague
Last month, researchers, wildlife biologists and managers from several federal, state and local agencies gathered at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ (USFWS) National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center to celebrate a breakthrough in wildlife management— the development of an oral vaccine bait that helps protect prairie dogs against deadly sylvatic plague and assists in the recovery of endangered black-footed ferrets (BFF). Sylvatic plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, is a bacterial disease transmitted by fleas that afflicts many mammalian species, including humans.
Read more: Collaborate
Small-Scale Die-Offs in Woodrats Support Long-Term Maintenance of Plague in the U.S. Southwest.
Author information:
- 1
- 1 Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Fort Collins, Colorado.
- 2
- 2 New Mexico Department of Health , Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Abstract
Our longitudinal study of plague dynamics was conducted in north-central New Mexico to identify which species in the community were infected with plague, to determine the spatial and temporal patterns of the dynamics of plague epizootics, and to describe the dynamics of Yersinia pestis infection within individual hosts. A total of 3156 fleas collected from 535 small mammals of 8 species were tested for Y. pestis DNA. Nine fleas collected from six southern plains woodrats (Neotoma micropus) and from one rock squirrel (Otospermophilus variegatus) were positive for the pla gene of Y. pestis. None of 127 fleas collected from 17 woodrat nests was positive. Hemagglutinating antibodies to the Y. pestis-specific F1 antigen were detected in 11 rodents of 6 species. All parts of the investigated area were subjected to local disappearance of woodrats. Despite the active die-offs, some woodrats always were present within the relatively limited endemic territory and apparently were never exposed to plague. Our observations suggest that small-scale die-offs in woodrats can support maintenance of plague in the active U.S. Southwestern focus.
Prairie dogs vs. private property
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Residents in southern Utah asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to hear their case claiming federal safeguards for Utah prairie dogs have prevented them from doing what they want with their private property.
The rules block residents from building homes, starting businesses and even protecting playgrounds, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Property Owners argue in their case.
“Some own lots in residential subdivisions where they planned to build homes, but prairie dogs moved in first and the regulation forbids permits for their property,” attorneys wrote.
Link: Utah
Prairie dog soothes East Tennessee’s elderly
Tucker loves going from room to room at Jamestowne Retirement Home. Fay Jago says, “They love him. If I don’t bring them in, then I’m in trouble.”
Tucker is a three legged chihuahua who was born without a front leg, and he was going to be euthanized. The home’s executive director Fay Jago saw him on social media and saved his life by adopting him.
Now he’s the community dog at the senior home. She says, “Everyone has issues and problems. Nobody is perfect. So why put him down because he’s not perfect.”
She also bought Raspy. She’s a prairie dog that Fay takes around from room to room visiting with residents. One resident spends all day petting Raspy. Jago says, “Ms. Janie loves her. They’ll sit in my office, and I’ll go in there and they’re both asleep on my couch. So it’s a win win.”
They make the residents feel more comfortable, and the residents calm the pets down. Fay says, “They’re regular residents here.”
Fay says she enjoys seeing the residents with animals so much, she’s considering getting more service animals.
Link to: Tennessee
PDP Garage Sale part II
Garage Sale Part II: Debbie has offered to host garage SALES to reduce the carry over from the last garage sale. We will conduct sales on 3 consecutive days next week, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 5, 6, and 7. The Sale will be held at 917 Morris Street NE from 8-3:30 on each day. This is about 1/2 block north of Morris and Lomas, on the left. We could use: more sales items; and help. If you can provide either, let C Rex know at prairiedogpals@comcast.net. Right now we have a couple of volunteers but more would be better. I’ll even buy timothy hay and NOMO for you to munch on….
2017 Garage Sale:::::Part UNO!!!!!
Well today, 23 September, the end of the world (for some) was PDP’s annual garage sale (part UNO). It was a very dicey day in terms of weather with pleasant fall weather winning out of the sprinkles that plagued the set up and early morning. Many thanks to Ray, Tania, Ella, Cassidy, Debra, Yvonne, Phil, Margaret, Graziella, and C Rex who helped set up, or woman/man the tables, promote sales, close deals, etc., or woman the refreshment table. The margaritas were excellent and the pulled tofu divine. I don’t know how we did as yet but we did very well in the pre-sales thanks to donations from Jane and Mikki! Many Many thanks to those of you who donated to make this possible. But wait, you said part UNO…well yes, we had a lot of treasures left over at the end of the day and Debbie has volunteered to do a 3 day garage sale for the remaining items. Soooooooo if you have anything else, or want to help let C Rex know at prairiedogpals@comcast.net. You have a second, third and fourth chance!!!!
Annual Garage Sale!!! 23 September
The Prairie Dog Pals “fall” Garage sale will be held on the 23th of September from 8:00 to 2:00 at 5219 Vista Bonita NE. Plan to come and more importantly scour out your collections of fine collectibles and donate the unneeded treasures for the garage sale. If you want items to donate or want to volunteer with the set up or sale please coordinate with R. Watt (237 0347). Please tell your friends to come by and spend money. The money will go towards prairie dog issues. The donations are tax deductible and we will gladly provide you with a certificate stating as much. If you have donations for the sale, plan to bring them by between 6-8 PM on the 22nd of September. If this is not convenient, contact Ray Watt on 237 0347 to arrange a mutually convenient drop of date/time. Finally, after the sale, your unsold items can either be picked up by you at 200 on Saturday, or they will be donated to an animal issues charity/ non profit group.
County relocates prairie dogs to a new home
For a week, metal cages sat atop each prairie dog mound in the open space bordering Highway 52 and 79th Street.
The hope was to capture and relocate 100 black-tailed prairie dogs. Ultimately, 84 critters were apprehended in the sprung traps and then moved to a more spacious location.
Each trap was baited with sweet feed, consisting of oats, grains and sunflower seeds, a mixture prairie dogs love.
Read more: County
Don’t feed Wildlife…however…
For a long time we have encouraged people NOT to feed the prairie dogs inappropriate foods. They eat forbs and grasses, carrots work, so do grains, but this week I encountered a number of things…so with out further ado…Triscuits! PS prairie dogs don’t eat Cheese as to the triscuits, they have salt on them, bad idea.
You can see what happens, next they will want some wine.
Prairie Dog Rescuers At Work on Front Range
FORT COLLINS, CO – Pudgy and vocal, black tail prairie dogs in matriarchal colonies have co-existed with Coloradoans along the Front Range for decades. But the state’s new construction boom threatens their urban habitats in northern Colorado towns. Groups of “prairie dog advocates” are asking local governments to help relocate colonies instead of gassing them or bulldozing their habitats.
Members of a prairie dog “town” maintained their busy lives on six acres near the corner of Lemay Street and Buckingham Avenue in Fort Collins for more than 20 years. That was until New Belgium Brewery and a student housing developer bought parcels on the site.
Help Wanted
Prairie Dog Pals is looking for an entrepreneur who would be willing to market special items donated by our dedicated advocates who have given Prairie Dog Pals items with a value that likely exceeds what could be reasonably obtained at a garage sale. These items could include TVs, appliances, furniture, art pieces, wall hangings, household decor, special books, special jewelry, VHS movies and the odd unique pieces that would require a wider audience in order to be marketed for a better price. I envision a social media/ computer savvy person who could photograph items and then post them with a brief description to Craigslist (Albuquerque only), Ebay (only specific items), Nextdoor Neighbor, and Facebook. This person would be allowed to take the necessary time to promote any items he/she thinks they could market, and with PDP would negotiate a fair percentage for their trouble. This may include allowances for pick-ups from their residence or deliveries – if necessary. PDP would provide a simple form for the documentation of any sales to be in compliance with non-profit financial obligations.
Ashley and Gordo
Another prime photo. We had the privilege of working with Ashley this summer. She was a woman possessed and no task could thwart her! A pleasure to work with, highly dependable and very very gentle with the prairie dogs. She loaded 65 prairie dogs on her second day of work at the Sevilleta in June. Here, a few months later, she is holding Gordo. Gordo had a checkered past. He was captured from Bosque Farms and was fine robust prairie dog until about 3 days before the release. On checking his tank C Rex noticed a lesion on his right cheek. A large lesion. Gordo had been chewed. While the wound was not life threatening it did need treatment and Gordo missed 2 releases. He was held from June until late August. By then the lax life in the staging facility had taken its toll and gordo put on the ounces and shed a bit of his natural coloring. At processing he came in at a robust 1740 grams. Fortunately the wound fully healed, just look at the right side of his face…and he was released in early September. Ashley not only processed him, but release him the next day.
A day at the refuge
PDP has had to the privilege of working with the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge staff, interns, and volunteers over the years. EVERYONE is positive, focused, innovative, cooperative, and a pleasure to work with. This picture of Maggie, taken by Jim personifies their commitment and enthusiasm! Woo hoo Maggie!
Vaccines for Conservation: Plague, Prairie Dogs & Black-Footed Ferrets as a Case Study.
Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA. dansalkeld@gmail.com.
The endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) is affected by plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, both directly, as a cause of mortality, and indirectly, because of the impacts of plague on its prairie dog (Cynomys spp.) prey base. Recent developments in vaccines and vaccine delivery have raised the possibility of plague control in prairie dog populations, thereby protecting ferret populations. A large-scale experimental investigation across the western US shows that sylvatic plague vaccine delivered in oral baits can increase prairie dog survival. In northern Colorado, an examination of the efficacy of insecticides to control fleas and plague vaccine shows that timing and method of plague control is important, with different implications for long-term and large-scale management of Y. pestis delivery. In both cases, the studies show that ambitious field-work and cross-sectoral collaboration can provide potential solutions to difficult issues of wildlife management, conservation and disease ecology.
| PMID: 28879613 |
Treatment of malocclusion in squirrel
This is an interesting article about a squirrel with malocclusion. Over the years we have captured prairie dogs with similar problems. Sometimes a simple clipping of the teeth sets them to right. Other times the malocclusion cannot be rectified and the animal cannot be released. In these cases the prairie dog and the person fostering it face a decision of removing the incisors or a lifetime of trimming. Jim T previously and is currently fostering such a prairie dog.
Here’s the original note that appeared on our Facebook page: Congrats to Mikey! As he was processing in today, doing the 2/4/20 (2 eyes, 4 teeth, 20 toes) he noted that the PD had ram’s horn teeth. The disorder is usually caused by dislocation of the teeth preventing them from meeting and keeping the upper and lower incisors in check. In this particular case the PD had been born without lower teeth, or had lost them at some point in its life. Eventually they would have grown through roof of the mouth and caused death by starvation or infection. YB and C Rex, trimmed the teeth but without lower teeth to keep the uppers in check, it is likely this this PD will not be released. While I don’t have a picture the upper teeth were about 1″ long and curved back into the mouth. The fact that this PD did not starve indicates that he was able to get enough nutrition using his molars.
It is reassuring that the treatment seems to work well for prairie dogs as well. Read More: Treatment of malocclusion in squirrel
Setting right the myths about prairie dogs
Right up front, I am stating that I am not worried about getting the plague, my horses are not going to break their legs in prairie dogs holes and prairie dogs have not destroyed any of my plantings (since they graze primarily on grasses).
Read more: Facts
Court mandates protection of Utah Prairie Dogs on non-federal lands
The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver has issued a mandate which reinstates Endangered Species Act (ESA) regulation of the threatened Utah prairie dog on non-federal lands. The decision overturns a 2014 U.S. District Court for the District of Utah decision that removed federal ESA protection for the species on non-federal lands and transferred management to the State of Utah. The species is now regulated under the ESA across all land ownerships.
Read More: Utah
South Dakota
Black-tailed prairie dogs at home in the heart of a West Texas town
A visit to prairie dog towns in Odessa was not on my agenda during a recent vacation to Big Bend National Park.
But a mountain bicycle accident had me laid up for week in the city’s hospital, while Kathy gave me daily reports about prairie dogs she had seen between the hotel and the hospital. She told me how the squirrel-size mammals stood smartly on their hind legs atop cone-shaped dirt mounds over an intricate network of subterranean abodes forming their townships.
Read More: Odessa
Indian School Update
To date we’ve captured and relocated 125 prairie dogs from the NE and SE corners of Indian School and Tramway. The prairie dogs are being relocated to make way for landscaping. There are a few left that we are trying to trap before the end of the season. In fact Margaret D caught another one this week. Apparently there will be another town meeting to review the landscape plan. Read on to learn details for the meeting.
Save the Date & Call to Action!
When: Aug. 23, 2017–6 to 7:30 pm
Where: Lomas Tramway Library
Community Room
Agenda: Findings & Plan for Landscaping
Tramway/Indian School Rd.
This is a great opportunity to hear from Sites SW, the landscape consultants contracted by the City of Albuquerque, as they present their findings for a plan to landscape portions of the Tramway and Indian School Rd. intersection. Before a plan can be adopted the preliminary work of humanly removing the prairie dogs is being done by Prairie Dog Pals of New Mexico. The governmental entities being asked to review this plan for approval are the City of Albuquerque and the State of NM Highway Department. See You August 23 at 6:00 pm in the Community Room of the Lomas Tramway Library. Check us out on Facebook and NextDoor.com.
Mary E. Lee Park Prairie Dogs Being Relocated
SAN ANGELO, TX – The prairie dogs at Mary E. Lee Park in San Angelo are being relocated to a new home.
What started as a small family five years ago quickly became a colony of about 500 prairie dogs.
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board members came to a decision to relocate the animals. Lynda Watson with the prairie dog management service was called to capture and safely relocate them to a more natural permanent residence.
After capture each prairie dog is put under quarantine and observation at a facility in Lubbock for approximately two weeks before they are turned out into a new location.
Read More: Lubbock
3 People Have Caught Plague in New Mexico This Month
Three people in New Mexico have been infected with plague this month, which is close to the number of plague cases that the state saw in all of 2016, according to health officials.
This week, the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) reported two cases of plague — one in a 52-year-old woman and one in a 62-year-old woman, both living in Santa Fe County, in the northern part of the state. Earlier in June, the state reported a case of plague in a 63-year-old man, also living in Santa Fe County. All three people were hospitalized, but all of them survived, NMDOH officials said.
Read more: Plague
Fleas that bite rodents infected with the bacteria that cause the plague can transmit the disease to people.
Credit: Janice Haney Carr/CDC
TISA building construction displaces prairie dogs
Over the roar of giant construction engines, small chirps made by frantic prairie dogs can still be heard in a freshly plowed field once dotted with the small piles of dirt marking the homes of the desert-dwelling rodents.
Read more: Taos
Learning More About The Abilene Prairie Dog Town
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB) – The Red Bud Park prairie dog town has been around since the 1970s. Although there’s nobody left on the Abilene city staff who was part of the original “founding” of the prairie dog town, the town has thrived in the years since it was established.
Read more: Abilene
Oral Plague Vaccine Helps Reduce Outbreaks in Prairie Dog Colonies
Prairie dogs in the wild are less likely to succumb to plague after they ingest peanut-butter-flavored bait that contains a vaccine against the disease, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study published today in the journal EcoHealth.
SONY DSC
Read more: Plague
San Angelo considers prairie dog town like Abilene’s
SAN ANGELO — A cute but potentially dangerous prairie dog population explosion at a San Angelo park has park officials scurrying about trying to decide what to do.
The rodents are expanding their ground in and around the city’s Mary E. Lee Park.
Read More: Angelo
Enchanting burrowing owls make home in Taos
Taos birdwatchers eagerly await John Lay’s email missives. “Both owls on burrow,” he wrote in early April. Like expectant parents, we’re wondering if there will be owlets.
Lay, a Taos photographer and birdwatcher, has photographed the iconic western burrowing owls near his home for the past two years. “These days,” he said, “we can watch nest cams and get some idea of bird family behavior, but it doesn’t quite feel the same as watching two birds raise a whole family from about 50 feet away. That’s enchanting.”
Read more: Owls
Of Cadillacs and Prairie Dogs
On a summer evening years ago, I dined with a group of friends at a rural Midwest restaurant where the parking lot was a patch of rough ground without marked bays. We came out to find a Cadillac parked close in beside our car. Edging into the gap between the vehicles (the other side was also tight), we did our best to get the doors far enough open to slide in without dinging the Cadillac. Our close approach triggered the Cadillac’s motion-sensitive theft alarm. A loud synthesized voice told us: “You are standing too close to the car! Step! Away! From the car!”
Read more: Language
Prairie Dog Relocation
Furry Friends and Turtles, too!
Free, Fun, Family-Friendly Animal Advocacy Event!
Prairie Dogs Are Cute, But Can They Talk?
It’s a great article, and the prairie dogs are fascinating (and adorable) little creatures, but with all due respect to Doctor Dolittle, the assertion that non-human animals have language is indeed nonsense.
Animals have no language, despite the occasional complexity of their communication. The error these scientists and journalists make in attributing language to animals is an easy error to make, but it is an error nonetheless. The error lies in the failure to distinguish between designators and signals.
Read More: Language