for a carnivore like black-footed ferrets because we rely so heavily on
ferrets because we rely so heavily on
ferrets because we rely so heavily on captive rearing and we’ve had the animal
captive rearing and we’ve had the animal
captive rearing and we’ve had the animal in captivity for for so many generations
in captivity for for so many generations
in captivity for for so many generations we do run the risk of inadvertently
we do run the risk of inadvertently
we do run the risk of inadvertently domesticating the animal so pre
domesticating the animal so pre
domesticating the animal so pre conditioning is a big part of that is
conditioning is a big part of that is
conditioning is a big part of that is you know instilling those wild behaviors
when reintroduction started in 1991
when reintroduction started in 1991 ferrets released straight out of a cage
ferrets released straight out of a cage
ferrets released straight out of a cage and research showed that the survival of
and research showed that the survival of
and research showed that the survival of pre condition kits was 10 times higher
pre condition kits was 10 times higher
pre condition kits was 10 times higher than kits that were released straight
than kits that were released straight
than kits that were released straight out of a cage
out of a cage
out of a cage there was a species that had been
there was a species that had been
there was a species that had been initially listed on the endangered
initially listed on the endangered
initially listed on the endangered species list declared extinct it’s
species list declared extinct it’s
species list declared extinct it’s significance is that it’s part of an
significance is that it’s part of an
significance is that it’s part of an ecosystem that is highly
ecosystem that is highly
ecosystem that is highly underrepresented in the world out here
underrepresented in the world out here
underrepresented in the world out here on the right planes we know that where
on the right planes we know that where
on the right planes we know that where its habitat where it lives there’s other
its habitat where it lives there’s other
its habitat where it lives there’s other species like prairie dogs and you know
species like prairie dogs and you know
species like prairie dogs and you know the ferret is obligated to the prairie
the ferret is obligated to the prairie
the ferret is obligated to the prairie dogs for a dog’s constituted anywhere
dogs for a dog’s constituted anywhere
dogs for a dog’s constituted anywhere from 65 to 90 percent of their prey and
from 65 to 90 percent of their prey and
from 65 to 90 percent of their prey and you really need to imprint them on that
you really need to imprint them on that
you really need to imprint them on that prey species if you want them to succeed
prey species if you want them to succeed
prey species if you want them to succeed we precondition animals for a 30-day
we precondition animals for a 30-day
we precondition animals for a 30-day period ideally they’d kill for prairie
period ideally they’d kill for prairie
period ideally they’d kill for prairie dogs during that time what a ferret
dogs during that time what a ferret
dogs during that time what a ferret tries to do is get a prairie dog around
tries to do is get a prairie dog around
tries to do is get a prairie dog around the neck and crush its windpipe and it’s
the neck and crush its windpipe and it’s
the neck and crush its windpipe and it’s fixie ate the animal
many times the first prey dog that’s
many times the first prey dog that’s introduced you know they are actually
introduced you know they are actually
introduced you know they are actually quite intimidated by it and prey dog is
quite intimidated by it and prey dog is
quite intimidated by it and prey dog is a pretty formidable piece of prey we’ve
a pretty formidable piece of prey we’ve
a pretty formidable piece of prey we’ve had ferrets injured during the process
had ferrets injured during the process
had ferrets injured during the process we’ve actually had ferrets killed by
we’ve actually had ferrets killed by
we’ve actually had ferrets killed by prairie dogs in the preconditioning pens
prairie dogs in the preconditioning pens
prairie dogs in the preconditioning pens and it’s it’s a tough thing you know for
and it’s it’s a tough thing you know for
and it’s it’s a tough thing you know for a ferret to kill it’s almost like a
a ferret to kill it’s almost like a
a ferret to kill it’s almost like a whirling dervish or something but you’ll
whirling dervish or something but you’ll
whirling dervish or something but you’ll see a ferret just kind of roll around
see a ferret just kind of roll around
see a ferret just kind of roll around with a prairie dog trying to get the
with a prairie dog trying to get the
with a prairie dog trying to get the upper hand and get its jaws around its
upper hand and get its jaws around its
upper hand and get its jaws around its neck and once it becomes incapacitated
neck and once it becomes incapacitated
neck and once it becomes incapacitated they’ll drag it down a burrow you don’t
they’ll drag it down a burrow you don’t
they’ll drag it down a burrow you don’t want to be hand feeding him I guess you
want to be hand feeding him I guess you
want to be hand feeding him I guess you want some pursuit and there needs to be
want some pursuit and there needs to be
want some pursuit and there needs to be a kill in the Burrow and you can hear
a kill in the Burrow and you can hear
a kill in the Burrow and you can hear what’s going on right now which is good
what’s going on right now which is good
what’s going on right now which is good I mean it’s gruesome but good from our
I mean it’s gruesome but good from our
I mean it’s gruesome but good from our standpoint but ideally the animal will
standpoint but ideally the animal will
standpoint but ideally the animal will go into the Burrow there will be a
go into the Burrow there will be a
go into the Burrow there will be a pursuit in the Burrow and then ferret
pursuit in the Burrow and then ferret
pursuit in the Burrow and then ferret then the ferret will kill it in the
then the ferret will kill it in the
then the ferret will kill it in the Burrow itself we prefer to feed prairie
Burrow itself we prefer to feed prairie
Burrow itself we prefer to feed prairie dogs to them beforehand just so they get
dogs to them beforehand just so they get
dogs to them beforehand just so they get used to the taste of exactly what
used to the taste of exactly what
used to the taste of exactly what they’re eating however prairie dogs
they’re eating however prairie dogs
they’re eating however prairie dogs aren’t something that that are just
aren’t something that that are just
aren’t something that that are just readily available so we supplement with
readily available so we supplement with
readily available so we supplement with rat because it’s basically the closest
rat because it’s basically the closest
rat because it’s basically the closest thing that we can get that that’s easily
thing that we can get that that’s easily
thing that we can get that that’s easily purchased this is their natural state
purchased this is their natural state
purchased this is their natural state killing an animal and eating the animal
killing an animal and eating the animal
killing an animal and eating the animal that’s what they have to do in the wild
that’s what they have to do in the wild
that’s what they have to do in the wild to survive when they’re finished with
to survive when they’re finished with
to survive when they’re finished with the preconditioning process at 30 days
the preconditioning process at 30 days
the preconditioning process at 30 days we trap them up bring them into a
we trap them up bring them into a
we trap them up bring them into a holding facility and that’s their last
holding facility and that’s their last
holding facility and that’s their last stop before they’re released at one of
stop before they’re released at one of
stop before they’re released at one of our reintroduction sites it’s a bit of a
our reintroduction sites it’s a bit of a
our reintroduction sites it’s a bit of a leap of faith for us because our animal
leap of faith for us because our animal
leap of faith for us because our animal caretakers as you might imagine get
caretakers as you might imagine get
caretakers as you might imagine get quite attached to these animals you know
quite attached to these animals you know
quite attached to these animals you know they have a lot invested in them they
they have a lot invested in them they
they have a lot invested in them they you know see them from the day they’re
you know see them from the day they’re
you know see them from the day they’re born till the day they go out the door
born till the day they go out the door
born till the day they go out the door we need to accept some losses and we
we need to accept some losses and we
we need to accept some losses and we need to try to equip them as best we’re
need to try to equip them as best we’re
need to try to equip them as best we’re able to survive out in the wild and for
able to survive out in the wild and for
able to survive out in the wild and for ferrets at least that preconditioning
ferrets at least that preconditioning
ferrets at least that preconditioning has been the key to that so for the
has been the key to that so for the
has been the key to that so for the folks that work here it’s kind of a case
folks that work here it’s kind of a case
folks that work here it’s kind of a case of letting go
of letting go
of letting go and just hoping you see them again the
and just hoping you see them again the
and just hoping you see them again the next year
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