Ferrets

Fortunately, in 1981 a tiny population of nine black-footed ferrets was found in the Absaroka Mountains of Wyoming. These animals were protected, and the number quickly grew to more than 100. Unfortunately, an introduced disease (canine distemper) then killed all but 18 animals. The few survivors were taken into captivity by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to establish a captive breeding program, in a last-ditch effort to save the black-footed ferret from extinction. Part of the attempt to save the species involved studies of the steppe polecat, to learn about the biology and behavior of this closely related animal. This information was then applied to breeding the black-footed ferret in captivity.

By 1987, several captive ferrets had succeeded in raising young. The captive population increased during the next several years, and by 1996 there were more than 500 black-footed ferrets in captivity. Since 1991, several hundred black-footed ferrets have been returned to the wild, mostly in Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. It will take many years and good stewardship by landowners to determine whether the reintroduction of black-footed ferrets into the American prairie will succeed. The black-footed ferret is considered an endangered species by all conservation organizations, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.