53: Black Footed Ferret
I write to you from Arapahoe, Ute, and Cheyenne land. I am interested in learning about the different animals that live in the place where I was born. Before we start with today’s animal, I want to emphasize that biological classification as understood by western society has its roots in racism, sexism, and transphobia – here’s a good explainer about why.
Black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) – the only ferret species native to North America – once ranged across the North American west, but the style of farming and land use brought by European-descended settlers in the 19th and 20th centuries led to them almost going extinct. By 1940, there were none left in Colorado. In 1981, scientists found a very small population with only eight viable ferrets in Wyoming. From those individuals, there are now 600 of the species spread between special captive breeding locations and wild reintroductions.
Colorado is lucky to have six of those reintroduction sites. Sadly the first wild colony in Colorado, created in 2001 near Rangely in the extreme northwest of the state, collapsed after the ferrets succumbed to an outbreak of plague. Ferrets hunt primarily prairie dogs, and plague is endemic to prairie dog populations in Colorado (true story – one time my elementary school closed because there was a plague outbreak in the prairie dogs that lived in the large field we used for recess). However, an Eastern Plains reintroduction in 2013 yielded wild born kits beginning in 2015 and continues to grow! Even though the black-footed ferret is the most critically endangered mammal in North America, there is hope.
Oh, they’re also SUPER cute, so check out this video of their reintroduction. Seriously, it’s 6 minutes long and their little faces make it completely worth it – but be warned, there is a very brief scene of ferret-on-prairie-dog violence.
Bad news though – like other ferrets and similar creatures (minks), the Black Footed Ferrets are probably susceptible to covid-19. Same, little buddies! As a result, the captive breeding facility is having to be extremely careful about its staff’s exposure to the disease.
These animals are nocturnal, allowing their keen senses of smell and hearing to find prairie dogs asleep in their burrows. They are well camouflaged for the arid environments in which they live, with largely yellow and white fur, a black “mask” (sadly can’t protect them from the covid though!), and, of course, four little black feet. They are also quite vocal and make a variety of noises to communicate with one another – very similar to their prairie dog prey. The average ferret eats about 100 prairie dogs per year!
I have never seen a ferret or any other mustelid in the wild in Colorado, but I hope I do someday, because these guys are really, really cute. They are discussed in one of my absolute favorite books, Prairie Dog Empire by Paul Johnsgard, which has a chapter focusing on all the animals whose lives depend on the prairie dog. Look forward to me referencing that book 100s of times as we continue. As at least newsletter reader can attest, I reference it often in everyday conversation too.
