We do not here much of this in plague-free England.
2006-12-11 11:49:23 · 1 answers · asked by Perseus 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
Plague (Yersinia pestis) is endemic to ground squirrels, rabbits and other warm and fuzzy woodland creatures in California. because it's endemic, there's not much to say about what's going "lately" -- it's an ongoing issue.
The case of bubonic plague we had in Los Angeles this summer was traced back to rabbit hunting in the Tehachapi Mountains. There was a considerable rabbit die-off at the time.
Folks, if you see a whole lot of dead, keeled-over critters ... GET OUT.
We regularly find plague-positive animals in Angeles National Forest, but others have been found in Santa Monica and one was found in Griffith Park.
Best defense is to avoid playing with the sickly, cuddly creatures. Environmental Health occasionally goes out to trap and test animals. Sometimes, they create flea dust burrows. These burrows lure animals in, give them a light dusting with flea powder and kill off the fleas that carry plague.
2006-12-11 11:57:22 · answer #1 · answered by Gumdrop Girl 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋