Wild Prairie Dog

A prairie dog sits outside its burrow at the Pitchfork Ranch near Meteetsee, Wyoming.

Western U.S. prairie dogs are susceptible to plague outnreaks. The USGS developed an oral sylvatic plague vaccine (SPV) to help immunize prairie dogs against plague. If successful, the SPV could help protect endangered black-footed ferret populations because the ferrets rely on prairie dogs for food.

The SPV project is a collaboration of over 30 organizations and agencies.