Black Footed Ferret Habitat Description

The black-footed ferret is an endangered species native to North America. A member of the weasel family, the black-footed ferret̵7;s body is long and slender. It is tan and has black feet and legs. Its tail has a black tip. The black-footed ferret has black markings on its face that resemble a mask. They live only three to four years in the wild and eight to nine years in captivity.

  1. Habitat & Range

    • The open prairie.

      The black-footed ferret sets up residence in prairie dog burrows. The habitat of the prairie dog is grasslands and prairies throughout the midwest and western United States. Black-footed ferrets choose prairies with the highest prairie dog populations.

    Habitat Loss

    • Without prairie dogs, the black-footed ferret is virtually homeless. During the 20th century many prairie dog towns were destroyed by farmers and ranchers. The underground tunnels and burrows prairie dogs build destroy fields. When this happened, the black-footed ferret population nearly became extinct because their habitat was destroyed along with their food source.

    Reintroduced to their Natural Habitat

    • According to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, the black-footed ferret was placed on the original list of endangered species in 1967. When 98 percent of the prairie dog population was wiped out in the 1980s, the black-footed ferret came close to extinction. Since then wildlife organizations and zoos have bred the black-footed ferret in captivity and reintroduced them into their natural habitat. Some of these areas include Montana, Arizona, Utah, Kansas, Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming and Chihuahua, Mexico.

    Predators

    • Predators of the black-footed ferret are owls, golden eagles and coyotes. The black-footed ferrets that were reintroduced had a higher mortality rate because their survival skills weren̵7;t as strong as wild black-footed ferrets. Before being released, biologists precondition them to avoid predators and sharpen their hunting skills.

    Prey

    • Black-footed ferret prey.

      The primary food source for the black-footed ferret is the prairie dog. Though they also eat mice and other small rodents, they depend heavily upon prairie dogs. As nocturnal animals they hunt mostly at night and sleep nearly 21 hours a day. Prairie dogs are 90 percent of their food source.

    Special Adaptations

    • The black-footed ferret has many adaptations that make it suitable for life in the prairies. The tan and black color of its fur provides camouflage against the grassland plants and soils. This makes it difficult to see until it begins moving. The black-footed ferret̵7;s long, flexible, slender body makes it possible for it to maneuver through prairie dog burrows and tunnels. Its short, strong legs and clawed paws make it an expert digger, according to National Geographic.