Prairie dog deaths in La Plata County stoke fears of plague among Colorado health officials

A recent die-off of a large number of prairie dogs in southwestern Colorado has some health officials suspicious that the animals died of plague .

The La Plata County Public Health Department launched an investigation and is awaiting official results, but says it's already observed reduced or no prairie dog activity in colonies.

The department thinks there could be plague exposure as a result of the animals in public areas and on private land, but health officials are urging people not to try killing the animals themselves, as it can help spread the disease through infected fleas.

A black-tailed prairie dog is seen at a rimmed crater mound burrow entrance. Philippe Clément/Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Plague is often found in rock squirrels, prairie dogs, wood