Comebacks · EN Endangered
Black-footed Ferret
Mustela nigripes
North America's only native ferret was declared extinct twice — then a ranch dog dropped a dead one on a Wyoming doorstep in 1981, revealing a last colony.
EN · Endangered
Overview
North America's only native ferret was declared extinct twice — then a ranch dog dropped a dead one on a Wyoming doorstep in 1981, revealing a last colony.
mammalnorth americaprairie
Field data
| IUCN status | EN · Endangered |
|---|---|
| Population | — |
| Trend | increasing |
| Last assessed | 2015 |
| Class / Order | Mammalia · Carnivora |
| Family | Mustelidae |
| Range | United States, Canada, Mexico |
Why it matters
Evolutionary distinction
- Depends almost entirely on prairie dogs for food and burrows.
- One of the first endangered species to be cloned from frozen cells, in 2020.
From the collection
Take one home
art print
Black-footed Ferret art print
Museum-grade art print from the Black-footed Ferret plate.
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notebook
Black-footed Ferret notebook
Museum-grade notebook from the Black-footed Ferret plate.
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Fulfilled on demand. Connect your Fourthwall / print-on-demand store to make these live.
Sources