Black tailed Prairie Dog Monitoring and Trapping in Grasslands National Park

As ecosystem engineers, Black-tailed Prairie Dogs (hereafter “prairie dogs”) can modify their environment to suit their needs, and in doing so, create habitat that is ideal for many other species in the park. This interesting trait leads to prairie dog colonies being hubs of activity for both wildlife, and for Parks Canada staff! Staff can be found at the colonies carrying out their duties to support conservation initiatives in Grasslands National Park. Let’s take a closer look at the activities that you may see taking place on a prairie dog colony!

Keeping an eye on the colonies

Every two years, park staff measure the size of prairie dog colonies. Prairie dog colonies cover only about 1% of the entire park. Over the last 25 years, the colonies have fluctuated in size between 600 and 1,282 hectares. The long-term average (including the first surveys conducted in the ‘70s) is approximately 910 ha. Prairie dog densities also fluctuate depending on survival and reproduction rates, which are influenced by the severity of the weather. The 2019-2024 density averaged 18 prairie dogs/ha, which meets the national recovery objective of at least 7.5 prairie dogs/ha over a 6-year moving average. Measuring the colony area is done by mapping the colony perimeter on foot with a GPS unit, and density is captured through visual counts where staff count prairie dogs seen within a designated sample area and time period. During this activity you may see Parks Canada staff standing on ladders with binoculars as they record their observations.

Every year, park staff also monitor the presence of sylvatic plague on prairie dog colonies. Plague is a non-native disease that was introduced to North America in the early 1900s, and it is currently considered the biggest threat to prairie dog conservation. The disease is carried by fleas found on prairie dogs, so fleas are sampled, their abundance is monitored, and they are sent to a national lab for testing. Plague has been detected at very low levels since 2010, and no major outbreaks or widespread mortality have occurred to date. Although no plague outbreaks were detected in Grasslands National Park in the last couple of years, its prevalence and severity are expected to increase in response to climate change; for this reason, surveillance is essential.

Flea-ting moments on the Prairie Dog Towns

Park staff distribute plague vaccine baits on a portion of prairie dog colonies to help develop immunity to plague over time. They also apply insecticide or conduct “burrow dusting” inside burrows of selected colonies, to kill fleas. Please make sure to avoid prairie dog colonies when staff are dusting and adhere to all signage and precautions for your safety.

Over the last couple of years, Grasslands National Park performed live-trapping sessions on the Ecotour and Sage prairie dog colonies to test, via baits, the application of an oral insecticide that is designed to reduce flea abundance (and ultimately plague transmission). Live trapping allows Park staff to measure the flea abundance on prairie dogs to see if the baits are working. Trapping usually occurs in the spring and the late summer when fleas are most abundant.

Prairie Dog Trapping Program

Parks Canada staff use a live trap method as part of the prairie dog monitoring program. The traps have been made to provide shade and protection from the elements and predators. The sessions are performed in the early mornings under cooler temperatures, and end before temperatures become unsafe. Prairie dogs are only trapped when Parks Canada staff are present and are checked on a continual basis during a session.

When a session is complete, the traps are closed, and bait removed so that nothing can be caught inside. They are left in place on the colony to allow the prairie dogs to become accustomed to the traps and to mark the starting point for the following days work.

Once a prairie dog is trapped, Parks Canada staff will give the animal a sedative to relax them and reduce stress during handling. The prairie dog is then thoroughly combed to check for the presence and abundance of fleas, monitored while recovering from the sedation, and released.

If you would like to learn more about the Black-tailed Prairie Dog, check out our Species Spotlight blog post.