Loss of One Furry Creature Causes Loss of Another

Black-Footed Ferret: Mustela nigripes

By: Sienna Mok-Reader

Description and Ecology:

(Photo by:
http://vustudents.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-five-cutest-animals-of-the-world)

The Black-Footed ferret is a member of the weasel family and are the only ferrets native to North America.  They differ from their domesticated counter-parts as those ferrets are from Europe.  These ferrets have tan bodies with black feet, tips of their tails and masks on their faces.  Their short legs and large front paws are clawed and perfect for digging.  They also have large skulls and strong jaws, allowing them to eat meat despite their small size (only 1.5 to 2.5 lbs!).  These ferrets are 6 inches in height and 18-24 inches in length.  This rather small and sleek size allows them chase after their main source of food, prairie dogs, which make up 91% of their diet!  They are also known to hunt ground squirrels, rabbits, birds and other small rodents. (Defenders of Wildlife)  Black Footed ferret kits are born blind and helpless, with 1-5 kits in a litter.  Despite the young having similar characteristics to other, more prolific rodents, these ferrets are have low reproduction rates along with needing a specialized habitat, placing them as a more k-selected species.  Their breeding season is usually during the months of February and March.  The females give birth in prairie dog burrows around May and June and raise their kits for several months after birth. (Wikipedia)

(Photo from: blackfootedferret.org)

(Photo from: Wikipedia)

     Black-Footed Ferrets historically ranged from South Canada to North Mexico across the Great Plains of North America (left).  But due to habitat loss they now are only found in a few small spots in the Plains (right). (Defenders of Wildlife)  According to Wikipedia, these ferrets have many predators, including golden eagles, great horned owls, coyotes, bobcats, prairie rattlesnakes, American badgers, prairie falcons, and hawks.

Geographic and Population Changes:

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in 2013, there was an estimated minimum number of 418 breeding adult Black-Footed Ferrets in the wild.  313 of those animals were in the most successful sites: South Dakota, Arizona, and Wyoming.

(Photo from: blackfootedferret.org)

Cause of Listing and Main Threats:

Defenders of Wildlife state that the biggest threats to the Black-Footed ferret are primarily habitat loss and prey loss.  The ferrets live only on prairie dog colonies, which are on grasslands and shrublands.  Having such specialized habitat needs causes these ferrets to be quite susceptible to habitat loss.  The lands that they live on have been used for agriculture development, with very few of these grasslands being protected.  This loss of habitat is also due to eradication of prairie dogs by use of poisons and disease.  Seen as vermin by humans, prairie dog habitats have been cut down to 5% of what they used to be.  This habitat loss has caused habitat fragmentation for both prairie dogs and the ferrets.  Without strong populations of their main food source, the Black-Footed ferret will not be able to survive.

Description of the Recovery Plan:

Developed in only 2013, the recovery plan for Black-Footed ferrets by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to get the Black-Footed Ferret off the Endangered Species list completely.  In order to reach this goal, they plan on conserving and managing a captive breeding population of 280 adults.  After this, they plan on establishing free-ranging 1,500 breeding adults across 10 populations in at least 6 of 12 states in the historical range of these ferrets.  These populations need to be maintained for at least 3 years before they can move the species down on the endangered species list.  In order to get the species off the list entirely, there must be at least 3,000 established free-ranging breeding adults across 30 or more populations in 9 of 12 states within the historical range.  In addition to the population of ferrets, there must be 5 or more populations within prairie dog populations.  These populations must be managed and monitored for 3 years.  There must be action taken to protect at least 494,000 acres of prairie dog habitat and action must be taken to prevent disease of these prairie dogs.  Once this happens, the Black-Footed Ferret may be taken off the Endangered Species List, but there must be a reduced effort of captive breeding population to maintain information and research.  Delisting this species is estimated to be completed by 2043 and is estimated to cost around 151,140 dollars in total.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.defenders.org/black-footed-ferret/threats

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-footed_ferret

http://www.blackfootedferret.org/habitat-loss

(Photo from: http://www.cutestpaw.com/images/blackfooted-ferret/)