Birds do it, bees do it, now even black-footed ferrets do it

Rocky Mountain News

Published October 31, 2006 at midnight

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State Division of Wildlife researchers have confirmed the birth of two ferrets in the wild earlier this year, an important milestone to bring back the species from the brink of extinction.

Division of Wildlife spokesman Randy Hampton said that this year's spotlighting efforts located nine of the nocturnal creatures, including two ferrets that were born in the wild.

Hampton says after a reintroduction effort in northwestern Colorado, the first wild-born black-footed ferret was found by searchers in 2005, so the discovery of two additional wild-born ferrets is significant.

"We are encouraged by the increasing evidence of wild reproduction," said biologist Pam Schnurr. "This indicates that we are turning the corner towards a more self-sustaining population. There’s a long way to go for the species, but we feel like we're making good progress."

Since recovery efforts began in Colorado in 2001, 220 ferrets have been released in the state.

In the next few weeks, biologists with the DOW, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are planning to release 15 more black-footed ferrets in the Wolf Creek Management Area near the community of Dinosaur in northeastern Colorado.

It was selected as a recovery location due its remoteness and its existing populations of prairie dogs, the black-footed ferrets preferred prey.

Black-footed ferrets were believed extinct until 130 were discovered in a prairie dog colony near Meeteese, south of Cody, Wyo. in 1981.

From that colony, 18 went into a captive breeding operation that has led to hundreds of ferrets being released in 10 widely-dispersed populations in western states from Montana to Arizona.

And while their numbers are increasing in the wild, they still are protected by the Endangered Species Act as among the rarest mammals on earth.

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