These South Dakota are Animals Spreading And Dying From The Plague

South Dakota is currently experiencing an outbreak of the plague, a disease infamous throughout history for its high mortality rate, rapid transmission, and ability to incite widespread fear and dread.

Government agencies have verified that a plague outbreak is responsible for the mass deaths of prairie dogs in Badlands National Park, Buffalo Gap National Grassland, and the surrounding Conata-Badlands ecosystem area.

This determination comes from test results received on May 31st.

Sylvatic plague is a bacterial disease transmitted by fleas that primarily affects wild rodents.

However, this disease can also infect humans, pets, and other wildlife species.

Prairie dogs are highly vulnerable to plague, and their population declines pose a significant threat to the critically endangered black-footed ferret which relies on prairie dogs as its primary food source and is also susceptible to the disease.

The plague was most recently identified in South Dakota's Conata Basin region in 2009.

During this time it devastated the population of the critically endangered black-footed ferret, causing over 80 percent of the remaining individuals to die.