Black footed ferrets (Zahayra Carino)

  

Mustela nigripes

Because we live in a state where this species is illegal, we tend to forget the importance of black footed ferrets. Due to the decline in their prey, prairie-dogs, black footed ferrets have been changing habitats and rapidly decreasing in population.

Image: http://blog.nature.org/science/2016/01/04/recovery-hope-black-footed-ferrets-most-endangered-mammals/

The black-footed ferret or also known as, Mustela nigripes, is a medium-sized mustelid, weighing
about 1.4–2.5 pounds and measuring 19–24 inches in total length. The upper body parts are yellowish buff, sometimes whitish; feet and tail tip are black; and a black “mask” across the eyes. Black footed ferrets were normally found in the Great Plains, mountain basins, grasslands or basically wherever their prey, prairie-dogs, were located. Because of the exotic disease, sylvatic plague, that was introduced to prairie-dogs, black footed ferrets were extirpated from these ranges. After this species went nearly extinct in the late 1980s, the success of massive efforts to reintroduce this species back to its native habitat have made captive breeding successful. According to ICUN, several hundred individuals exist in six different breeding facilities and as of early 2015, about 500 wild-living black footed ferrets exist in populations in several US states and Mexico. The reintroduction of this species started in 1991 and since 1987 over 8,000 kits were produced through captive breeding. As of 2015, there are currently 206 black-footed ferrets and in order to manage this species, they are sampled and counted at least once a year. 

  

image: http://thezt2roundtable.com/topic/10781187/1/

Because of its very small and restricted population, black-footed ferrets were listed as endangered in the year 1967 and again in 1970, which received a level 2C listing. This means that the ferret faces a high degree of threat with potential economic conflicts and reflects the ferret’s taxonomic status as a full species. There are three different reasons that the black footed ferrets are endangered: a conversion from native range to cropland, poisoning of prairie dogs to reduce competition with domestic livestock for forage and lastly because of the sylvatic plague that affected the prairie-dogs, all leading to why the black footed ferrets were listed in the level of 2C.

From Region 6 U.S and Wildlife Service, the recovery plan made to help these black footed ferrets is as follows:

•  Conserve and manage a captive breeding population of black-footed ferrets with a minimum of 280 adults (105 males, 175 females) distributed among at least three facilities.
• Establish free-ranging black-footed ferrets totaling at least 1,500 breeding adults, in 10 or more populations, in at least 6 of 12 States within the historical range of the species, with no fewer than 30 breeding adults in any population, and at least 3 populations within colonies of Gunnison’s and white-tailed prairie dogs.
• Maintain these population objectives for at least three years prior to downlisting.
• Maintain approximately 247,000 acres (ac) (100,000 hectares (ha)) of prairie dog occupied habitat at reintroduction sites (specific actions are described in Part II of this plan) by planning and implementing actions to manage plague and conserve prairie dog populations.

What can you do to help these adorable ferrets? We can first start by helping prevent any type of human destruction of prairie dog colonies. This will increase the population of prairie dogs and before you know it, help the black footed ferrets from further declining. For different ways of reaching out and taking part of helping this species, you can click the link below https://www.defenders.org/black-footed-ferret/how-you-can-help

Works Cited

Basic Facts About Black-Footed Ferrets. (2016). Retrieved November 29, 2016, from http://www.defenders.org/black-footed-ferret/basic-facts

Support the. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2016, from http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/links/14020/0