Plague is rare in Arizona, but can be deadly. So, Grand Canyon National Park has partnered with Coconino County to monitor for the disease.
Park spokesperson Emily Davis said that every month through September, squirrels will be caught at the South Rim.
"They’ll trap them, they’ll anesthetize them and then they’ll sort of comb through their fur to get fleas," she said. "And then it’s really the fleas they’re testing for presence of the plague."
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Davis said all visitors should avoid contact with squirrels and so should their pets.
"We really stress that pet owners keep their dogs on leashes," Davis said. "If their cats are roaming around, to make sure that they have flea collars or are treated for fleas in other ways."
Plague is native to Northern Arizona in areas above 4,500 feet, Davis said. The state typically sees one or two human cases a year, though one hasn’t been reported since 2008.
