Tagged Prairie Dog
Detailed Description
This wild prairie dog has been tagged by scientists in an effort to study the efficacy of a USGS-developed oral sylvatic plague vaccine (SPV) to help immunize prairie dogs against plague. It was released after being tagged and after scientists took hair, whisker, and blood samples.
If successful, the SPV could help protect endangered black-footed ferret populations in the western U.S. because the ferrets rely on prairie dogs for food.
The SPV project is a collaboration of over 30 organizations and agencies.
Sources/Usage
Public Domain.