“The hiker explored the sylvan trail, surrounded by towering trees and a dense forest canopy.”

“They are one of the primary carriers of sylvatic rabies and thus can be very dangerous to pets and humans.”

“In 1985 the last wild population experienced simultaneous epizootics of canine distemper and sylvatic plague.”

“In addition to sylvatic plague, a disease likely brought from Europe by ship rats, prairie dogs have suffered from aggressive poisoning campaigns by farmers and ranchers.”