Black footed ferrets are one of Canada's most endangered species! Watch this to learn more about them, why they are endangered, and what you can do to help.
2. THE BLACK—FOOTED FERRET
The Black-footed ferret is a member of the weasel family. They are the
only ferrets that are native to north America.
The Canadian population of black-footed ferrets live in the southern
part of Canada, but the ferrets also exist in areas between there and
northern Mexico.
They eat mainly prairie dogs, but will also eat other small animals such
as ground squirrels, rabbits and birds.
Their kits are born blind and stay below ground until they are two
months old. Their mother’s then take them out hunting, and separate
them into different burrows. By the time they are 5 months old, the kits
are completely independent.
3. ENDANGERED
Black-footed ferrets are registered as an endangered
species. There are 700 wild ferrets in Canada to date,
and their numbers are increasing slowly, due to
conservation measures. It is still touch and go,
however, as it is never a given that any animal
released from captivity will survive on its own.
There are multiple causes of their endangerment,
including habitat fragmentation. One of the biggest
causes, however, is the extermination of prairie dogs,
the ferret’s largest and most crucial food source.
Since 1990, the populations of prairie dogs have
been whittled down to 5% of their original size.
4. THE FALL OF THE FERRET
• 1967: Black-Footed Ferrets are listed as a
threatened species
• 1973: Endangered Species Act created (ESA)
• 1978: Recovery plans begin for the ferret
• 1984: Outbreak of canine distemper devastates
population of ferrets
• 1985: 10 known Black footed ferrets in the wild
• 1987: Last 12 ferrets captured and combined with
6 already captive ferrets: World total now 18
ferrets
• 1991: First re-introduction of ferrets into the wild.
Out of 49 captive-bred ferrets, only 12% of the
originals survived, but two wild born litters were
born over the winter. A second group of 90
captive-bred ferrets were released later on.
• 2010: Population of ferrets totals 1,500 ferrets
(including outside of Canada).
5. WHAT CAN YOU DO?
There are many things you can do to help the black
footed ferret. So many organizations give you the
opportunity to do things like donate or volunteer.
http://www.worldanimalfoundation.net/chooseanima
l/Adopt_A_Black-Footed_Ferret.html
https://www.defenders.org/support-our-work
http://blackfootedferret.org/
These are just a few.
7. BIBLIOGRAPHY
• sources are listed in the order they appear in the presentation.
• All images were found on google images: images.google.com
• http://www.defenders.org/black-footed-ferret/basic-facts "Basic Facts About Black-Footed Ferrets." Defenders of Wildlife.
Defenders of Wildlife, 19 Sept. 2016. Web. 04 Oct. 2016.
• http://www.bagheera.com/inthewild/van_anim_ferret.htm "Black-footed Ferret: An Endangered Species." Bagheera. Ed. Craig
Kasnoff. Craig Kasnoff, n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2016.
