Black-Footed Ferret

Scientific Name: Mustela Nigripes

Order: (Carnivorous mammals)

Family: Mustelidae (badgers, otters, skunks, weasels, and relatives)

Conservation Status

About

The black-footed ferret once was believed to be extinct. Although still endangered, they are making a remarkable recovery. Before their downfall, black-footed ferret habitats included grasslands in 12 American states, 2 Canadian provinces and parts of Northern Mexico. Their population was in the tens of thousands, before it rapidly declined in the 1970s and 1980s. The prairie dog population also dropped, leaving black-footed ferrets with a limited supply of food. Prairie dogs make up 90% of a black-footed ferret’s diet. The ferrets can consume more than 100 prairie dogs in a year.

The black-footed ferret is still listed as one of North America’s most endangered species. Elmwood Park Zoo participates in the Black-footed Ferret Species Survival Plan, a shared conservation effort by zoos throughout the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Find me at EPZ

Location: Welcome Center

Arrived at EPZ: Hunter - Arrived April 2024

Habitat & Range
The black-footed ferret was once found throughout the eastern and southern Rockies and the Great Plains. It is currently found in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming as well as Chihuahua, Mexico. It often makes its homes in abandoned prairie dog burrows.
Identification
The black-footed ferret has a very long body with short legs. The fur is beige with a black or gray wash on its back. It is about 2 feet in length and weighs 2 to 3 pounds. It has black markings on the feet, around the eyes and on the tip of the tail.
Diet
The diet of a black-footed ferret varies based on geographic location. The primary source of food is the prairie dog, but may also consist of mice, gophers, squirrels or birds.
Reproduction & Lifespan
The lifespan of a black-footed ferret is 3 to 4 years in the wild and up to 5-7 years in captivity.
Fantastic Fact
The black-footed ferret is a nocturnal creature whose aboveground activity primarily takes place between dusk and midnight or 4:00 AM and mid-morning.

Black-Footed Ferret

Conservation Status

About

Find me at EPZ

Habitat & Range

Identification

Diet

Reproduction & Lifespan

Fantastic Fact