Effect of Flea Control on Survival of Utah Prarie Dogs (Cynomys parvidens) Final Report
Biggins DE and Godbey JL. 2004. Effect of Flea Control on Survival of Utah Prarie Dogs (Cynomys parvidens) Final Report. U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center. Fort Collins, Colorado
Plague causes periodic epizootics that decimate populations of prarie dogs, but the means by which the causative bacterium (Yersinia pestic) persists between epizootics is poorly understood. We examined the possibility that the bacterium persists in and around Utah prarie dog colonies, affecting prarie dogs during inter-epizootic periods. We attempted to reduce the numbers of fleas on portions of 6 prarie dog colonies during 2001-2004 using deltamethrin powder delivered into burrows as a pulicide. We compared survival rates of prarie dogs on treated plots with survival rates of prarie dogs on paired plots where burrows were not dusted. Flea numbers were reduced by 96-98% by the dusting. Survival rates for prarie dogs were about 98% higher in dusted plots than in non-dusted plots, even though epizootic plague was not detected during the study. Y. pestis was not found in any of the 4,578 fleas taken from 1,258 prarie dogs, and only 35 of those prarie dogs carried sreum antibodies for plague (34 of the seropositive prarie dogs were from a single colony). Our data suggest that plague may be resident on prarie dog colonies rather than periodically invading from reserviors elsewhere. The effects of enzootic plague raise serious concerns for conservation of prarie dogs and other dependent specieis.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Biggins, Dean; Godbey, Jerry
- Date of Issue
- 2004
- Publisher
- U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center
- Units
- BRCA
- Keywords
- Cynomys parvidens, deltamethrin powder, epizootics, Fleas, Plague, Utah Prarie Dog