spend all this time inside a raising ferrets and cleaning up poop and all the
ferrets and cleaning up poop and all the
ferrets and cleaning up poop and all the other things it’s really rewarding to
other things it’s really rewarding to
other things it’s really rewarding to come out on the Prairie evening like
come out on the Prairie evening like
come out on the Prairie evening like this and see the animals in their
this and see the animals in their
this and see the animals in their natural habitat
today spirits have all just finished
today spirits have all just finished their preconditioning period um it’s
their preconditioning period um it’s
their preconditioning period um it’s about 30 days that on the Pens they
about 30 days that on the Pens they
about 30 days that on the Pens they learn to live in burrows III dogs become
learn to live in burrows III dogs become
learn to live in burrows III dogs become accustomed to the weather patterns and
accustomed to the weather patterns and
accustomed to the weather patterns and sounds and sights of living on the
sounds and sights of living on the
sounds and sights of living on the Prairie they all past it so now they’re
Prairie they all past it so now they’re
Prairie they all past it so now they’re ready to be released historically they
ready to be released historically they
ready to be released historically they really didn’t know how many black footed
really didn’t know how many black footed
really didn’t know how many black footed ferrets were in the wild the turn of the
ferrets were in the wild the turn of the
ferrets were in the wild the turn of the century about 98% of the Great Plains
century about 98% of the Great Plains
century about 98% of the Great Plains had been plowed up by that point so
had been plowed up by that point so
had been plowed up by that point so habitat was lost then in 1979 they were
habitat was lost then in 1979 they were
habitat was lost then in 1979 they were actually declared extinct and in 1981
actually declared extinct and in 1981
actually declared extinct and in 1981 they were rediscovered in Meeteetse
they were rediscovered in Meeteetse
they were rediscovered in Meeteetse Wyoming so a captive breeding program
Wyoming so a captive breeding program
Wyoming so a captive breeding program was started in about 1985 to bring back
was started in about 1985 to bring back
was started in about 1985 to bring back the species from extinction it’s a great
the species from extinction it’s a great
the species from extinction it’s a great program we bring in state agencies and
program we bring in state agencies and
program we bring in state agencies and tribes to help us reintroduce the fair
tribes to help us reintroduce the fair
tribes to help us reintroduce the fair once we’ve raised them in captivity all
once we’ve raised them in captivity all
once we’ve raised them in captivity all the animals that are destined for
the animals that are destined for
the animals that are destined for release or even kept in the breeding
release or even kept in the breeding
release or even kept in the breeding program need to you know pass medical
program need to you know pass medical
program need to you know pass medical evaluations they you know have to have
evaluations they you know have to have
evaluations they you know have to have both canines intact they have to be you
both canines intact they have to be you
both canines intact they have to be you know eyes and good condition they need
know eyes and good condition they need
know eyes and good condition they need to be at a healthy weight
to be at a healthy weight
to be at a healthy weight at a gross level they need to be in good
at a gross level they need to be in good
at a gross level they need to be in good enough condition that you know given the
enough condition that you know given the
enough condition that you know given the environmental challenges they’re going
environmental challenges they’re going
environmental challenges they’re going to face that they stand a good chance of
to face that they stand a good chance of
to face that they stand a good chance of survival
all of the ferrets that are released
all of the ferrets that are released into the wild
into the wild
into the wild are vaccinated for distemper and their
are vaccinated for distemper and their
are vaccinated for distemper and their vaccine for rabies and they’re
vaccine for rabies and they’re
vaccine for rabies and they’re vaccinated for plague one of the things
vaccinated for plague one of the things
vaccinated for plague one of the things other than human encroachment an
other than human encroachment an
other than human encroachment an agriculture that reduce their
agriculture that reduce their
agriculture that reduce their populations so significantly it was
populations so significantly it was
populations so significantly it was probably canine distemper and also
probably canine distemper and also
probably canine distemper and also bubonic plague or what they call
bubonic plague or what they call
bubonic plague or what they call sylvatic plague since they are so
sylvatic plague since they are so
sylvatic plague since they are so uniquely sensitive to canine distemper
uniquely sensitive to canine distemper
uniquely sensitive to canine distemper we worry that if we send them out
we worry that if we send them out
we worry that if we send them out unvaccinated that we’ll lose them before
unvaccinated that we’ll lose them before
unvaccinated that we’ll lose them before they have a chance to reproduce
well the city for Collins owns two large
well the city for Collins owns two large parcels we bought the parcels for a
parcels we bought the parcels for a
parcels we bought the parcels for a variety of reasons but it included three
variety of reasons but it included three
variety of reasons but it included three to four thousand acres of prairie dogs
to four thousand acres of prairie dogs
to four thousand acres of prairie dogs that occur here as part of our
that occur here as part of our
that occur here as part of our management efforts we always wanted to
management efforts we always wanted to
management efforts we always wanted to bring ferrets back to this landscape
bring ferrets back to this landscape
bring ferrets back to this landscape this is truly a voluntary
this is truly a voluntary
this is truly a voluntary incentive-based opportunity whereby land
incentive-based opportunity whereby land
incentive-based opportunity whereby land owners are paid for the habitat that
owners are paid for the habitat that
owners are paid for the habitat that they are allowing us to use for the
they are allowing us to use for the
they are allowing us to use for the recovery of these mammals land owners do
recovery of these mammals land owners do
recovery of these mammals land owners do understand this ecosystem that’s what
understand this ecosystem that’s what
understand this ecosystem that’s what they make their living off of all we
they make their living off of all we
they make their living off of all we have to do is explain that the only
have to do is explain that the only
have to do is explain that the only piece that is missing out of this
piece that is missing out of this
piece that is missing out of this wonderful ecosystem that they have is
wonderful ecosystem that they have is
wonderful ecosystem that they have is one of the top-level carnivores and
one of the top-level carnivores and
one of the top-level carnivores and that’s what we’re releasing here today
that’s what we’re releasing here today
that’s what we’re releasing here today they’ve been habituated and outside pens
they’ve been habituated and outside pens
they’ve been habituated and outside pens but this is still a new experience for
but this is still a new experience for
but this is still a new experience for them because it’s a wide-open without
them because it’s a wide-open without
them because it’s a wide-open without any fences we’ve have a good home for
any fences we’ve have a good home for
any fences we’ve have a good home for threats to go we were at zero ferrets
threats to go we were at zero ferrets
threats to go we were at zero ferrets and now this landscape has 42 ferrets on
and now this landscape has 42 ferrets on
and now this landscape has 42 ferrets on it which is the first time in a long
it which is the first time in a long
it which is the first time in a long time that’s occurred well we’re lucky to
time that’s occurred well we’re lucky to
time that’s occurred well we’re lucky to have this unique species and we almost
have this unique species and we almost
have this unique species and we almost didn’t have them yeah what well done so
didn’t have them yeah what well done so
didn’t have them yeah what well done so if we can do anything to hedge our bets
if we can do anything to hedge our bets
if we can do anything to hedge our bets and keep them alive out in the wild and
and keep them alive out in the wild and
and keep them alive out in the wild and let them prosper I think that’s worth
let them prosper I think that’s worth
let them prosper I think that’s worth doing
”
Be First to Comment