Prairie Wildlife Research
PO Box 308
Wellington, CO 80549
970.219.1659
National Geographic
Wild Chronicles
BFF Podcast Now Available
Join National Geographic Explorer host Boyd Matson on a journey into the night to shed light on the promising fate of one of America's most endangered species.
Fun Ferret Facts
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There are 3 ferret species in the world.
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The Black-Footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) is the only native ferret in North America
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Black-Footed Ferrets are members of the Mustelidae family, which includes mink, weasels, badgers, wolverines, otters and domestic ferrets.
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Black-Footed Ferrets are generally about 20-24 inches long, including a six inch long tail. They typically weigh between 600 and 1000 grams (1-2 pounds), and females are typically smaller than males.
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Black-Footed Ferrets are obligate, or dependent, on prairie dogs for survival. They hunt prairie dogs and live in their burrows, and occasionally eat other small rodents and rabbits.
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Black-Footed Ferrets were thought to be extinct until a small population was discovered in Wyoming in 1981. The last 18 known wild ferrets were taken into captivity between 1985 and 1987 to start a captive breeding program.
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Today, about 250-270 Black-Footed Ferrets are housed in six captive breeding facilities throughout North America.
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Black-Footed Ferrets have been reintroduced into six western states: Arizona, Montana, South Dakota, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. They have also been released in the Chihuahua desert of northern Mexico. Surveys indicate that approximately 700 ferrets now live in the wild!
