Date: 04/04/2009

Number: 1

Well, for the first time in my life, I have watched the rarest mammal in North America. The Black-footed Ferret was bread in captivity in the 1900’s when the numbers if BFF in the wild were dangerously low. In the Fall of 1994 they were rereleased back into the wild at the UL Bend north of Fort Peck Lake. In the winter of 1999, the numbers were as high as 84. Then the Epizootic plague on prairie dogs had a devastation effect on BBF. Entire prairie dog towns were wiped out, along with the ferrets. By the spring of 2003, biologists found only 2 BFF. The area was dusted with deltamethrin the past few years, and last week end 6 BFF were seen last weekend. We road ATV’s and spotlighted the BFF from a distance. Next fall, I got invited back to help trap the newborn and their parents, and to collect information about the health of the BFF. They expect at least 4 litters of young by August or early Sept. Other than the wind, the passing snow storms, and the cold, it was a great time.

Lewistown, MT

Latitude: 46.9 Longitude: -109.4

Observed by: Steve
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