Prairie Dog Days: How Fleas Transmit the Plague and its Effects on Gunnison’s Prairie Dog

(er āt): To supply with air

(bak tir ē ǝ): (Singular: bacterium) A group of single-celled microorganisms that live in soil, water, the bodies of plants and animals, or matter obtained from living things and are important because of their chemical effects and disease-causing abilities.

(bər ō): A hole in the ground made by an animal for shelter or protection.

(kē): A low island or reef of sand or coral.

(kō ȯrd nət): Any of a set of numbers used to locate a point on a line or surface or in space.

(i myü nə tē): The power of the body to resist an infectious disease.

(in fek shəs): Capable of causing infection.

(ma mǝl): Any of a class of warm-blooded vertebrates that include human beings and all other animals that nourish their young with milk produced by mammary glands and have the skin usually more or less covered with hair.

(män tān): Of, relating to, growing or being in the zone of moist cool upland slopes below tree line.

(nü trē ǝnt): A substance or ingredient that promotes growth, provides energy, and maintains life.

(plāg): A serious disease that is caused by a bacterium, occurs or has occurred in several
forms including bubonic plague, and is usually passed to human beings from infected rodents and especially rats by the bite of a flea or is passed directly from person to person.

(prer ē): A large area of level or rolling grassland.

(rō dǝnt): Any of an order of fairly small mammals (like mice, squirrels, or beavers) that have sharp front teeth used for gnawing.

(spē sēz or spē shēz): A category of living things that ranks below a genus, is made up of related individuals able to produce fertile offspring, and is identified by a two-part scientific name.

(sǝ sep tǝ bǝl): (1) Having little resistance to something, like a disease or infection; (2) easily affected.

(trans mit): To transfer from one person, animal, or place, to another.