Back From The Brink, Black-footed Ferret

“Once found throughout the Great Plains, the black-footed ferret is one of North America's most endangered animals. They rely on prairie dogs for food and their burrows for shelter and raising young. Consequently, their fate is directly linked to that of prairie dogs. As a result of habitat loss and non-native disease, black-footed ferret populations declined to the brink of extinction in the 20th century. Captive breeding efforts and reintroductions into the wild have given black-footed ferrets a second chance for survival. Although great strides have been made to recover them, habitat loss and disease remain key threats and recovery of the species will not be complete until more ferrets exist in more places. Currently, fewer than 500 black-footed ferrets live in the wild today at 17 reintroduction sites—a population well below the 3,000 needed to fully recover the species.”