| An Incredible Journey |  Celebrate 25 years of black-footed ferret recovery with a “black-shoe” event
November 1, 2006
Opera House Restaurant
Denver, Colorado
For more information, contact Jonathan Proctor
Read more about the black-footed ferret in Defenders Magazine.
| September 26, 2006 is the 25th anniversary of the rediscovery of the black-footed ferret, which remains to this day one of the most endangered mammals in North America. This mysterious creature has a fascinating story. Thought to be extinct in the 1970s after the last known ferret died in captivity, a ranch dog led investigators to one remaining population in Wyoming on September 26, 1981. By 1985 only 18 individuals were known to be alive. Thanks to the protection of the Endangered Species Act and the hard work of many federal, tribal, and state biologists, zoos and private landowners, there are today between 600-700 ferrets living in the wild in 10 locations across the west. By nearly all measurements, the animal’s reintroduction to the wild has been a stunning accomplishment. However, after millions invested in its recovery and with the goal of downlisting in sight, pressure from private interest groups and opponents of wildlife conservation programs like the Endangered Species Act threaten to unravel the ferret's hard-won gains. Unfortunately, the range of the black-footed ferret is just a fraction of what it once was. 
Black-footed ferrets depend on prairie dogs to survive. | Long ago, black-footed ferrets hitched their evolutionary wagon to prairie dogs. A century ago, billions of prairie dogs spread from Canada into Mexico. But today, prairie dogs also suffer from a massive reduction in their range and numbers. Prairie dogs are routinely poisoned on both private and public lands, often at taxpayer expense, and shot. All this spells trouble for the black-footed ferret. The ferret lives exclusively in prairie dog burrows and prairie dogs comprise nearly all of their diet. Fortunately, the finish line for black-footed ferret recovery is in sight. After years of experience, we know how to recover the species and protect its habitat. Defenders will continue its work to protect and ensure these burrow-dwelling creatures will be around for future generations.
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© Copyright 2006, Defenders of Wildlife
1130 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
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