Data on the occurrence of plague epizootics in colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs, Pawnee National Grassland, Colorado 1982-2005. Data are derived from annual prairie dog surveys conducted by staff of the Pawnee National Grassland, U.S. Forest Service. The data includes information on the year of sampling, colony identification, UTM coordinates of colony centroids, weather (precipitation and temperature), colony area, soil moisture-holding capacity, connectivity among colonies, and the occurrence of plague epizootics. Data provided by M.F. Antolin and L.T. Savage, Colorado State University, supported by the National Science Foundation (DEB-9616044, DEB-0217631, DEB-0823405, EF-0327052), the U.S. Forest Service, Pawnee National Grassland, U.S. Agricultural Research Service, Central Plains Experimental Range.

Data on prairie dog densities, flea abundance on prairie dogs, and plague epizootics in Montana and Utah, USA, 2003-2005. Prairie dog species (PDspecies in the data file) included black-tailed prairie dogs (PDs) (BTPD, Cynomys ludovicianus) in north-central Montana, white-tailed PDs (WTPD, Cynomys leucurus) in eastern Utah, and Utah PDs (UPD, Cynomys parvidens) in southwestern Utah. Field research was completed by the U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, and colleagues. We used summertime visual counts as an index to PD densities (Pddensity in the data file). For each plot, we counted PDs using binoculars and/or spotting scopes from a single location outside the plot that gave the best view of the entire plot and repeated these counts on three (usually consecutive) days. We began counts just after sunrise and continued to conduct repeated systematic scans of the plot until the counts declined to about half the peak number (usually by late morning as PDs went below ground for their typical mid-day break). We converted the counts to density estimates (counts per hectare [ha]).The estimate we used to calculate density was the highest count obtained from a plot for the 3 days within a given year. We analyzed data from colonies experiencing a plague epizootic during this particular study (with an epizootic defined as greater than or equal to 90% decline in PD density). We indexed annual population change (PDpopchgProportion in the data file) by subtracting the count density estimate of the year before a plague epizootic (t1) from the density estimate during an epizootic (t2) for each plot, and dividing that by the density estimate from t1 to summarize population change as a proportionate change. We evaluated the correlation between PD population change and PD density in year t1, because negative plague-effects and the intensity of population decline may be greatest when PD densities are high in year t1 (a potential "density dependent" phenomenon discussed in a wide range of literature on disease ecology). We also evaluated the correlation between PD population change and flea abundance in year t1, because rates of plague transmission and, therefore, PD mortality are expected to increase with increasing flea densities. To assess flea abundance (PDfleas in the data file), we combed live-trapped PDs and counted the number of fleas on each PD. The PDs were live-trapped, individually marked with ear tags, and combed as thoroughly as possible for 30 seconds (s) to collect fleas. Prairie dogs were allowed to recover from anesthesia and released at their trapping locations. For each plot and year, we used the average value of flea counts (defined as flea abundance).

Oral sylvatic plague vaccine baits (SPV) and placebo baits were distributed once annually from 2013-2016 on treated and non-treated paired plots from 2013-2016. Black-tailed prairie dogs (BTPD) were live-trapped and permanently marked with passive integrated transponders and ear tags on 4 pairs of plots each year from 2013-2017 to provide capture/recapture data for use in estimating BTPD survival. The first data set (CMR_SPV_RAW_CAPTURE_DATA.csv) lists all captures and associated covariates with each line representing data from a single prairie dog. The second data set (CMR_BTPD_WEIGHTS.csv) lists the weight and associated information for each prairie dog at each handling. The third data set (CMR_FLEAS_BY_HOST.csv) lists the number of fleas collected from each prairie dog at each handling. Funding was provided through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, multiple USGS sources, grants from the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and World Wildlife Fund.

In 2013, a large blinded, paired placebo-controlled field trial for the prairie dog oral sylvatic plague vaccine started in the Western US. On 17 paired plots, vaccine and placebo plots, small rodents were trapped annually for 3-5 consecutive nights (when weather allowed) and high elevation Utah plots where plague was active were more frequently trapped in 2014 and 2015. In the dataset the prevalence of flea infestation was recorded for the first annual summer sampling, it was summarized for all small rodent species caught and deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). Infestations were either for all flea species collected or for Aetheca wagneri only (our most abundant flea species). We used this data to assess if plague (Y. pestis) presence increased the prevalence of flea infestations on small rodents and deer mice. Fleas were collected after animals were anesthetized with isoflurane.

We studied black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) on the Conata Basin, Buffalo Gap National Grassland, South Dakota, USA, 2007-2009. We live-trapped and sampled prairie dogs in 2007 (before known invasion of the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis), 2008 (the year of confirmed invasion), and 2009 (after invasion). Sampling was completed on three 9-ha plots treated annually with deltamethrin dust for flea (Y. pestis-vector) control and three 9-ha plots lacking flea control (non-dusted) as baselines. Each live-trapped prairie dog was marked with ear tags for permanent identification and tracking of survival. If a marked prairie dog was recaptured and identified (via ear tags) the following year, the prairie dog was classifed as a surviving individual (commonly referred to as "apparent" survival). If a marked prairie dog was not recaptured the following year, the prairie dog was classified as a non-surviving individual. In 2007 and 2008, approximately half the adult prairie dogs live-trapped were injected subcutaneously with either an experimental F1-V fusion plague vaccine or placebo formulation; the remaining adult prairie dogs and all juveniles were not inoculated. In 2007 and 2008, we anesthetized subsets of prairie dogs on the dusted and non-dusted plots with isoflurane and combed them with a fine-tooth comb for 30 seconds to remove and count fleas. We analyzed subsets of data to evaluate (1) effects of vaccination (vaccine/placebo) and deltamethrin dust (dusted/non-dusted) on adult prairie dog survival for individuals injected with vaccine or placebo, (2) effects of vaccination on adult prairie dog survival on the plots treated with deltamethrin dusting specifically, and (3) effects of deltamethrin dust on non-injected adult and juvenile prairie dog survival. The data file is named Prairie_Dog_F1-V_Vaccine_DeltaDust_Data.xlsx. The first sheet (AdultsVxPcbDust01-2007-2008) includes data on adult prairie dog annual survival, 2007-2008, for individuals injected with vaccine or placebo on the dusted and non-dusted plots. Each line of data is for an individual prairie dog. Variables include Interval (2007-2008), Injection (Vaccine or Placebo), DeltaDust (1=dusted, 0=non-dusted), Age (prairie dog age, adult), Sex (prairie dog sex, female or male), and SurviveInterval (a binomial variable for whether or not the prairie dog survived the 2007-2008 interval). The second sheet (AdultsVxPcbDusted-2007-2009) includes data on adult prairie dog annual survival for individuals injected with vaccine or placebo on the dusted plots only, 2007-2009. Each line of data is for an individual prairie dog. Variables include Interval (2007-2008, 2008-2009), Injection (Vaccine or Placebo), DeltaDust (1=dusted), Age (prairie dog age, adult), Sex (prairie dog sex, female or male), and SurviveInterval (a binomial variable for whether or not the prairie dog survived the 2007-2008 and/or 2008-2009 intervals). The third sheet (NoInjectionDust01-2007-2008) includes data on non-injected adult and juvenile prairie dog annual survival on the dusted and non-dusted plots, 2007-2008. Each line of data is for an individual prairie dog. Variables include Interval (2007-2008), Injection (None), DeltaDust (1=dusted, 0 = non-dusted), Age (prairie dog age, adult or juvenile), Sex (prairie dog sex, female or male), and SurviveInterval (a binomial variable for whether or not the prairie dog survived the 2007-2008 interval). The fourth and final sheet (FleasDust01-2007-2008) includes data on prairie dog flea parasitism on the dusted and non-dusted plots, 2007-2008. Each line of data is for an individual prairie dog. Variables include Year (2007 or 2008), JulianDay (Julian day of year), DeltaDust (1=dusted, 0 = non-dusted), Age (prairie dog age, adult or juvenile), Sex (prairie dog sex, female or male), and Fleas (the number of fleas detected on the individual prairie dog).

We live-trapped and sampled black-tailed prairie dogs in Badlands National Park and Buffalo Gap National Grassland, South Dakota, 2017-2020. Sampling occurred on sites treated with 0.005% fipronil grain for flea control and plague mitigation, and non-treated sites functioning as experimental baselines. Prairie dogs were trapped, sexed, aged (adult or juvenile by size), weighed to the nearest 5 grams, and marked with ear tags for permanent identification. The length of each prairie dog's right hind foot was measured to the nearest millimeter, and the animal's body condition was indexed as a mass:foot ratio. We evaluated effects of fipronil grain on prairie dog body condition, monthly and annual survival, and reproduction. The first data set (Fipronil 2017 Body Condition.csv) includes information from a before-after-control-impact (BACI) experiment on fipronil grain and prairie dog body condition in 2017. The second data set (Fipronil 2018 Body Condition.csv) includes similar information from a BACI experiment in 2018. The third data set (Fipronil 2018 Monthly Survival.csv) includes information from an experiment on fipronil grain and individual prairie dog monthly survival in 2018. The fourth data set (Fipronil 2018-2019 Annual Survival.csv) includes information from an experiment on fipronil grain and individual prairie dog annual survival from 2018-2019. The fifth data set (Fipronil 2020 Reproduction.csv) includes information from an experiment on fipronil grain and prairie dog reproduction in 2020. Funding and logistical support were provided by the National Park Service; US Fish and Wildlife Service; US Geological Survey; Prairie Wildlife Research; US Forest Service; Colorado State University; World Wildlife Fund; and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

These data were collected as part of a field trial to test the efficacy of a sylvatic plague vaccine (see Rocke et al., 2017 for details). Vaccine and control plots were selected randomly from the available sites at each location. At least 1 week and no more than 2 months post-baiting each year, local collaborators captured, marked and sampled prairie dogs for a minimum of 3 trap days. Both plots in a pair were trapped on the same day, and trap effort (number of traps and trap days) between plots of the same pair was similar with few exceptions. Fleas were collected from up to 50 unique prairie dogs from each plot each year. Sex, age, weight, and foot length were recorded for each captured animal. In the laboratory, fleas were identified to species and then pooled by species and sex. Flea pools were tested for the presence of Yersinia pestis using standard or real time PCR. Environmental factors describing temperature and precipitation were obtained from USGS and NOAA databases for each plot at the time of sampling.

Data on annual population change for prairie dogs in Montana and Utah, USA, 2000-2005. Prairie dog species included black-tailed prairie dogs (PDs) (BTPD, Cynomys ludovicianus) in north-central Montana, white-tailed PDs (WTPD, Cynomys leucurus) in eastern Utah, and Utah PDs (UPD, Cynomys parvidens) in southwestern Utah. Field research was completed by the U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, and colleagues. Data were collected on paired plots. Each pair included a plot treated annually with deltamethrin dust for flea control and plague mitigation and a plot left untreated as baselines. Paired plots had similar ecological features on the same (split) or nearby (separate) colonies. One plot within each pair was randomly selected for deltamethrin dust treatment. We used summertime visual counts as an index to PD population size.We conducted visual counts annually during June-August, after young PDs were aboveground. We used binoculars and spotting scopes to systematically and repeatedly scan the plots (each plot was 3-9 hectares in area), beginning just after sunrise and continuing until warming temperatures caused a decline in counts. We repeated the procedure for three days, using for analysis the highest count obtained. We counted from the same locations each year, simultaneously counting treated and non-treated plots of each pair. Visual counts were transformed into values of finite population change by dividing the PD count at the end of an annual interval by the count at the beginning of the interval. For example, if year is 2001, then population change was for the interval 2000 to 2001. Primary funding was provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and Bureau of Land Management, supplemented by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and the Utah Department of Natural Resources Endangered Species Mitigation Fund. In-kind support was provided by the Bryce Canyon National Park, Dixie National Forest and BLM offices in Utah (Vernal, Cedar City, Richfield, and Torrey), Colorado (Meeker), and Montana (Malta). R. Reading and B. Miller of the Denver Zoological Foundation provided logistical support for parts of the study.

Mean flea counts from prairie dogs and their burrows in Utah (2000), New Mexico (2010-2012), and Montana (2016, 2019). Prairie dogs were live-trapped, anesthetized with isoflurane, and combed thoroughly for 30 or 45 seconds to remove and count fleas. Prairie dogs were allowed to recover from anesthesia and released at their trapping locations. Randomly selected prairie dog burrows were swabbed for fleas using a plumber’s snake to insert a white flannel-cloth as deep as possible into each tunnel; the cable was shook ~30 seconds, and the cloth was removed from the burrow and quickly sealed in a re-sealable zipper storage bag. Fleas were later removed from swabs and counted. Mean flea counts were calculated for each sampling site, and sampling interval, as the total number of fleas collected (from prairie dogs or burrows) divided by the total number of sampling occasions (combings or swabbings). Funding and logistical support were provided by the U.S. Geological Survey; Turner Endangered Species Fund; Turner Enterprises Incorporated; Colorado State University; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge; Shortgrass Steppe Long-Term Ecological Research Project; National Science Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Defense Strategic Environment Research and Development Program.