Game and Fish to work with landowners on black-footed ferret recovery
Since the time that black footed-ferrets were found on a ranch near Meeteetse, Wyoming, which confirmed that the mammal was not extinct, there has been an incredible partnership between landowners and wildlife managers in the recovery of this species. Last year, a statewide rule was put in place to give landowners assurance they will be able to manage their property without the concern they might break the law by inadvertently harming a ferret.
The 10 (j) rule was adopted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with the support of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and it creates special provisions to give landowners protection if a ferret is killed during legal activities.
Game and Fish is now seeking willing landowners who have the required amount of prairie dog colonies to consider a reintroduction in the years to come and is evaluating a potential site for a release on private ranches. Prairie dogs are the primary food source for black-footed ferrets. Two ranch owners near Meeteese have expressed interest in helping with ferret recovery. Game and Fish personnel will be further evaluating the potential release site for suitability.
“This year marks the 25th anniversary of the first reintroduction of ferrets back into the wild anywhere in the world. That site was on a ranch in Wyoming. We now look forward to working with other willing landowners to further recovery of black-footed ferrets,” said Scott Talbott, Director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
Implementation of the 10(j) rule ensures that the concerns of private landowners and landowners adjacent to reintroduction areas are addressed comprehensively.
Once thought to be extinct, a remnant population of black-footed ferrets was discovered in the 1980s near Meeteetse. Upon that discovery, the Service and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department founded a successful captive breeding program from those animals, which continues to this day.
The black-footed ferret recovery team has released ferrets at 24 sites across the continent. Current numbers in the wild are encouraging, but more reintroduction sites are needed to fully recover the species so that it no longer requires federal protection. The biggest obstacle to ferret recovery today is lack of suitable reintroduction sites, which the 10(j) rule in Wyoming is designed to address.
For information about ferrets in Wyoming, including information in participating in black-footed ferret recovery or specific information on the status of ferrets in Wyoming, please contact:
The 10 (j) rule was adopted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with the support of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and it creates special provisions to give landowners protection if a ferret is killed during legal activities.
Game and Fish is now seeking willing landowners who have the required amount of prairie dog colonies to consider a reintroduction in the years to come and is evaluating a potential site for a release on private ranches. Prairie dogs are the primary food source for black-footed ferrets. Two ranch owners near Meeteese have expressed interest in helping with ferret recovery. Game and Fish personnel will be further evaluating the potential release site for suitability.
“This year marks the 25th anniversary of the first reintroduction of ferrets back into the wild anywhere in the world. That site was on a ranch in Wyoming. We now look forward to working with other willing landowners to further recovery of black-footed ferrets,” said Scott Talbott, Director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
Implementation of the 10(j) rule ensures that the concerns of private landowners and landowners adjacent to reintroduction areas are addressed comprehensively.
Once thought to be extinct, a remnant population of black-footed ferrets was discovered in the 1980s near Meeteetse. Upon that discovery, the Service and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department founded a successful captive breeding program from those animals, which continues to this day.
The black-footed ferret recovery team has released ferrets at 24 sites across the continent. Current numbers in the wild are encouraging, but more reintroduction sites are needed to fully recover the species so that it no longer requires federal protection. The biggest obstacle to ferret recovery today is lack of suitable reintroduction sites, which the 10(j) rule in Wyoming is designed to address.
For information about ferrets in Wyoming, including information in participating in black-footed ferret recovery or specific information on the status of ferrets in Wyoming, please contact:
| Zack Walker Wyoming Game and Fish Nongame Program Supervisor Zack.Walker@wyo.gov 307-332-2688 |
Nichole Bjornlie Wyoming Game and Fish Nongame Mammal Biologist Nichole.Bjornlie@wyo.gov 307-332-2688 |
Wyoming Game and Fish (307) 777-4600
