Prairie Dogs with the Plague!

I could hardly believe it!

I've never heard of any animal having the plague!

As we drove through the Badlands National Park we saw signs all over that warned people to not get out of their cars because the prairie dogs have the actual bubonic plague!

We asked the ranger about it and she said that the prairie dogs just south of the park got the plague. They sprayed that whole area with some kind of pesticide that would kill the fleas that the prairie dogs carry. It is by the fleas that the plague is passed. They were hoping to keep the plague out of the prairie dog towns on the park. I had never seen a prairie dog town before so let me describe it for you. There are holes all over the ground with dirt mounded up around them. There are prairie dogs poking out of the holes here and there. They like to holler to each other. They are a danger to ranchers because their horses and cows can step in the holes made by the prairie dogs and break their legs or get stuck.

I did some research online.  I don't believe everything I read, but this is what I found out. The plague kills between 20 and 30 people a year in the U.S. It is spread by prairie dogs, squirrels, bunnies, mice, and other small animals. It is more prevalent in dirty conditions.

Well, we found out all of this and stayed far away from the prairie dog towns. We went riding ATVs Saturday and then again on Sunday at the Buffalo Gap Grasslands just south of the Badlands National Park. Shae and Cody rode some by themselves while the kids and I went to the visitor center. Of course, the guys had to get close to the prairie dog ghost towns, where most of the prairie dogs have already died. They saw a few live ones, and were a little close to them. I was pretty upset when I heard they got so close to them. We found out that you usually start seeing symptoms within 3-6 days. We were watching them for those six days! Yikes! What an adventure. We had a great time, just watch out for those prairie dogs!

How weird.....the plague.....in prairie dogs! What an adventure!

Hanna didn't want to get out of the van to take pictures of the prairie dogs.

Prairie Dog on alert

Riding isn't allowed on the national park lands, but just south there was a great riding area.

Here are a few links for more info:
ABCNews

NPR

Animal Planet

For more info on the Buffalo Gap Grasslands, click here.

The Badlands of South Dakota and Buffalo Gap Grasslands

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

I wasn't sure what to expect. We have been in the Badlands of New Mexico, but thought South Dakota's Badlands would be different, and they sure are! We all thought they were a cross between the Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert, both in Arizona. It was beautiful, yet so seemingly dead. The colors were gray, brown, and a layer of red here and there. The peaks rose sharply in the sky and deep ravines dug into the earth.

This is a fossil mine; yet I was disappointed to find out the fossils you see on the Fossil Trail are fake. We were hoping to see the real ones.

We went on a Saturday and brought our ATVs. We found numerous sites online that told us we could go off roading in the Badlands. We were excited as we drove east out of Custer, where we stayed, through Custer State Park then north towards Rapid City and onto Badlands National Park. We would have gone what seemed a shorter way through the Sioux Indian Reservation, but two people told us not to. They said the crime is horrible. That if we broke down, we would come back to our vehicle stripped down to nothing. I used to live on an Indian Reservation in northern Wisconsin. Yes, there is crime, but there is everywhere. I hope these people were not just prejudice against these Indians. I know many nice Indians, or maybe it is more politically correct to say Native Americans, I'm not sure. Where I grew up, they were called Indians and proud of it. It is a subject that I could avoid in my posts. Prejudice is a serious word. Some would say that different prejudices are earned while others are passed down.  Either way, we try to teach our children to be open minded and judge fairly - lest we be judged.  (off my soap box now)

First, we entered the Buffalo Gap Grasslands. It was pretty with the Badland Buttes in the background. We saw lots of prairie dogs, deer, and a few people. There are a few motels, but all were booked up for the night.

We went to the Visitor's Center on the Park. One ranger said we could ride our ATVs on the Badlands National Park and the other Ranger said we couldn't. They didn't seem to get along either! So, to play it safe, we stayed off the National Park and road in the Buffalo Gap Grasslands just to the south. It was amazing. Riding on our 4 wheelers is a great way to enjoy the scenery. There aren't all the people and cars. Just us and the land. We road for a long time while the guys enjoyed the hills and buttes.

The rocks there are so smooth. We figure from the constant wind blowing the sand over them. 

There was a prairie dog ghost town. We found out the prairie dogs have the plague! Yes, the actual plague! Signs are everywhere that tell people not to get out of there cars at the prairie dog towns. We stayed well clear of those, or at least most of us did, but that is another story.

We bought a map at the Visitor's Center that showed the grasslands boundaries. There is a lot of room to ride. Shae and Cody enjoyed the berms and hills. We rode for hours and had a wonderful time. We decided we wanted to come back the next day but like I said before, we couldn't find a motel, so we headed home. The next morning we drove back and the guys rode some more. Shae was pretty sore so didn't want to ride all day. I guess he is getting old...he he he. The kids and I went to the Visitor's Center and did Junior Ranger.

Then onto the beautiful scenic drive. The buttes go up so high and down so low. We took a couple pictures of the butte cracks in a few rocks for the guys...ha ha. They thought we were funny. The kids and I didn't get to ride, just Shae and Cody.

When we got back to the riding area a wind storm hit and we had to get in the van. Sand was flying everywhere.
We had such a wonderful time. It was an amazing experience. I definitely recommend you go to this place and bring your ATVs, dirt bikes, and UTVs!
Sheri