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When taking a close look at various species that live amongst each other in the wild, we can discover a common correlation. A balance of giving and taking. In the sense and need for food, shelter, and control of the population. At times this balance can seem harsh to an outside viewer but the reality is that even the harshness is needed to create a healthy ecosystem. This is no different for the masked bandits we will be talking about, the Black-footed Ferrets, a flagship species.
To answer the question, where do Black-footed Ferrets live, we first have to look back at where they used to live.
Once upon a time… the Black-footed Ferrets could be found across North America stretching into Canada and Mexico, with as many as 5 million in the 1900s. They were thriving, doing their ferret thing – bringing balance across the states. But then something happened, a disturbance. The once thriving species started to disappear as their food source decreased as well. In 1979 they were thought to have gone extinct.
But their story doesn’t end there – they found light at the end of the tunnel (pun intended because they live in tunnels. Anywho moving on…)
In 1981, a ranch dog named Shepp was heading home for the evening. He had a long day of hunting, herding, and doing all the things that ranch dogs love to do. But he knew that today was an extra special day. He trotted back to his home with a trophy in his mouth. Showing it off to his owners proudly. Shepp had found an animal that was thought to have gone extinct several years earlier – the Black-footed Ferret. It was that moment that changed a lot of people’s lives. All hands on deck! Biologists, conservationists, and government workers all alike joined in the effort to give the support this dwindling species needed.
Today, they have been reintroduced into parts of their former range in Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana, and Arizona. Approximately 370 Black-footed Ferrets live in the wild today.
There are 20 types of ferrets in the world, found in North America, North Africa, and Western Europe. The Black-footed Ferret is the only native ferret in North America.
The different types of ferrets are based on coat type, size of the ferret, and color or pattern of fur.
On average, these little ones weigh 1.5 – 2.5 pounds (0.6 – 1.13 kg) and are 18 – 24 inches (45.72 – 60.96 cm) in length.
Their slender stature and claws help them navigate and dig through tunnels underground. Their body is covered in short fur, light yellow/tan/white in color with dark brown/black fur on their face and of course their legs, which is where they get their name, the Black-footed ferret.
This species makes a lot of noise! They use loud chatter sounds to alert others of nearby danger, and hiss (similar to a cat) to show aggression or fear.
Watch this video to hear some of their calls:
This species has a pretty specific diet, almost exclusively eating prairie dogs. About 90% of their diet consisted of prairie dogs and the other 10% are squirrels, mice and other rodents, grasses, and flowering plants.
They are one of the only predators that are able to go through the same tunnels that prairie dogs create and live in. As I mentioned earlier this may seem like a harsh reality, one cute critter eating another cute critter. But think of it like this, if there were too many prairie dogs there would be too many tunnels, messing with other animal homes, crops, and other plant life. Black-footed Ferrets bring that needed balance to the equation.
The average life span of a ferret in the wild is 3 – 4 years in the wild. They spend most of their time underground in prairie dog burrows where they sleep, catch their food, escape from predators and harsh weather, and care for their young.
Habitat loss and non-native disease threaten the recovery of the black-footed ferret. Along with their dependency on the presence of prairie dogs for food, shelter, and raising their kits (babies).
Black-footed ferrets are one of the most endangered mammals in North America and are the only type of ferret native to the country. They are a direct reflection of the health of grassland environments which they depend on to survive. When helping this species, we directly benefit other species that live in the same environment.
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