Black Footed Ferret

Black Footed Ferret
The Black footed Ferret is the only ferret that is native to North America, with a historical range from southern Canada to Northern Mexico in the continent’s interior. Currently there are three wild populations;  northeast Montana, western South Dakota, and southeast Wyoming. Seven zoos also maintain captive populations.
 
Habitat:
Black footed ferrets use the abandoned burrows of prairie dogs throughout the praires of North America as shelter. Each ferret requires approxiamately 100-120 acres of forage area to survive.
 
Description:
 Female Black Footed ferrets are typically smaller than males, ranging form 645 to 850 grams, with males ranging from 915 to 1,125 grams. Males tend to be physically longer as well by about 10%, with the species ranging from 38 to 60 cm in length. Black Footed Ferrets are furred with short ears, black legs and feet and a “mask” of black fur around the eyes with the upper body being pale brown and the underside being pale to white.
 
Status:
The Black Footed Ferret is considered to be one of North America’s rarest mammals. The eradication of Prairie Dogs, the Ferret’s primary source of food and shelter, by rancher’s has meant the near demise of the species as well. As of September of 2005, there were believed to be 400 alive in the wild.1
 
Sources:
1. "Ferrets faring well in Northwest Colorado" Colorado Department of Natural Resources. http://wildlife.state.co.us/news/press.asp?pressid=3632