Nineteen predators, a species once believed to be extinct, were released earlier this month.
officials have released 19 critically endangered black-footed ferrets in northern Arizona, marking a major step in efforts to restore one of America’s rarest The Arizona Game and Fish Department carried out the release on March 10 across three sites, aiming to strengthen the fragile population of a species once believed to be extinct.
Thirteen ferrets were released in the Aubrey Valley and Double O Ranch areas near Seligman, while another six were placed at Garland Prairie near Parks, Arizona. The effort brought together a wide coalition of partners—including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Arizona State Land Department, Habitat Harmony, the Phoenix Zoo, and the Navajo Nation—all of whom attended or contributed to the release operations. Jessica Manuell, recently confirmed as a Game and Fish Commissioner, was also present."Black-footed ferrets are one of the most endangered mammals in North America, so encounters in the wild are extremely rare. If one is sighted, we recommend keeping your distance to avoid stressing the animal," an AZGFD spokesperson told. "The department will continue to monitor the active populations in the state and will use the data being collected on these populations to determine when and where more releases would be appropriate."originated from captive breeding programs at the Toronto Zoo and Smithsonian National Zoo before being transported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in Colorado. There, the ferrets learned essential survival skills, including hunting, prior to release. Black-footed ferrets are small, slender mustelids. They typically measure 19 to 24 inches in total length, which includes a 5–6 inch tail, and generally weigh 1.4 to 2.5 pounds. Despite their small size, the mammals are still considered predators. They rely almost entirely on prairie dogs as their prey. “Adding natural predators, like black footed ferrets, back into the system is part of the natural order of the landscape. It’s important work to be a part of that," Holly Hicks, small mammals program coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, said in a press release about the ferrets.Black-footed ferrets are North America’s only native ferret species, easily recognized by the black markings on their feet, tail, and mask-like facial pattern. Once abundant across the West, they experienced catastrophic decline in the 20th century because of habitat loss and disease, particularly the collapse of prairie dog colonies, which serve as both their primary prey and the source of their burrow habitat. The species was believed extinct until a small surviving population was discovered in rural Wyoming in the early 1980s. By 1986, only 18 individuals remained. Wildlife officials captured them to begin an intensive captive breeding and reintroduction program that has since become one of the most successfulrecovery efforts in the country. Today, about 300 black-footed ferrets live in the wild nationwide. After the new release, Arizona is now home to roughly 20 wild individuals. State biologists will continue monitoring the newly released ferrets through spotlight surveys and trapping efforts to track survival and potential reproduction. With spring marking both the breeding season and the reemergence of prairie dogs, officials hope the timing boosts the ferrets’ chances of establishing new wild-born litters this year., ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not"both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you., you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations.Opinion
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