A man in a military uniform crouching in the grass next to a carrier kennel where a black footed ferret is emerging
Image Details
Major Mackinder assists in the black footed ferret release at the pre-conditioning pen at F.E. Warren Air Force Base.
Black Footed Ferret Recovery

Black-footed ferrets once numbered in the tens of thousands, but the weasel-like animals almost disappeared because of a combination of human-induced threats. Twice in the 20th century, they were thought to be extinct. Today, they are the focus of a broad recovery effort.

An important role in the black-footed ferret species reintroduction process is to reestablish them in the prairie and  sagebrush sagebrush
The western United States’ sagebrush country encompasses over 175 million acres of public and private lands. The sagebrush landscape provides many benefits to our rural economies and communities, and it serves as crucial habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including the iconic greater sage-grouse and over 350 other species.

Learn more about sagebrush  ecosystems. Through trial and error, researchers found that ferrets that were “pre-conditioned,” meaning habituated to living around prairie dog towns in captivity, fared three times better when released into the wild then ferrets released without exposure to live prairie dogs.

In partnership with the Department of Defense Legacy Program and National Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Program, a black-footed ferret pre-conditioning facility was established on F. E. Warren Air Force Base. The facility can house up to six family groups while ferrets learn to hunt prairie dogs. After the pre-conditioning phase is complete, young ferrets are taken to one of several wild release sites in various western states. 

In partnership with the U.S. Army, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot are implementing a short-grass prairie restoration project to restore historic black-tailed prairie dog populations on the base. This restoration will benefit short grass prairie wildlife species, Department of Defense mission-sensitive species, and support a potential black-footed ferret reintroduction on Army lands.

Learn more about black-footed ferret recovery New Hope for Ferrets

Species

Two curious animals with long necks and what looks like black masks around their eyes peek out from a burrow in the ground.

The black-footed ferret is 18 to 24 inches long, including a 5 to 6 inch tail. It weighs only one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half pounds, with males slightly larger than females. The black-footed ferret is well adapted to its prairie environment. Its color and markings blend so well with grassland...

FWS Focus
Species
Kingdom
Animalia
Taxonomic Rank
Species

Programs

Juvenile Northern Pike in aquarium at Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery, South Dakota
The Fish and Aquatic Conservation program leads aquatic conservation efforts for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We are committed to tackling the nation’s highest priority aquatic conservation and recreational challenges to conserve, restore, and enhance fisheries for future generations.
Program
Falls Church,VA
A rocky shoreline of a river. The water is calm. Mist and green branches line the river.
The Ecological Services Program works to restore and protect healthy populations of fish, wildlife, and plants and the environments upon which they depend. Using the best available science, we work with federal, state, Tribal, local, and non-profit stakeholders, as well as private land owners, to...
Program
Baileys Crossroads,VA

Facilities

National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center
Black-footed ferrets once numbered in the tens of thousands, but the weasel-like animals almost disappeared because of a combination of human-induced threats. Twice in the 20th century, they were thought to be extinct. Today, they are the focus of a broad recovery effort.
Conservation Office
Carr,CO

Partners