Bulletins

Grasslands National Park

Advisory – Plague vaccine delivery

Issued: August 20, 2025

Ends: October 31, 2025

A map showing the affected prairie dog colonies in the west block of the park

 

WHAT

As part of recovery and management actions for the Black-tailed prairie dog population, Grasslands National Park is distributing sylvatic plague vaccine baits.

WHERE

The following prairie dog colonies:

·        Police Coulee

·        Timbergulch

·        Monument

·        Broken Hills

 

WHY

These baits contain a live vaccine against plague and were reviewed and approved for experimental field use. The vaccine is placed in bait (pictured below), which is then scattered throughout the test areas for consumption by prairie dogs.

In order to minimize interference with these active management operations and avoid exposure to the vaccine, we recommend visitors to avoid the above-mentioned prairie dog colonies. Please remember that all Prairie Dog colonies in Grasslands National Park are closed to pets at all times.

This program is expected to help protect the prairie dog population against plague, thus reducing the risk of colony die-offs, in the unlikely event outbreaks of disease occur.

WHEN

From August 25 to October 31, 2025.

For more information, please call the Park Office at 306-298-2257.

A gloved hand holding a vaccine pellet.

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