The Black-Footed Ferret: The Endangered Weasel Of The USA

The Black-footed ferret is a small North American mammal, that lives on prairies and grasslands. It is closely related to the steppe polecat, and belongs to the same family as weasels, minks, polecats, martens, otters and badgers. They are 18 to 24 inches long and weigh up to 2 ½ pounds. They have white or cream colored coats with patches of dark brown.

Due to a loss of prairie dogs (their prime food source) they have become endangered, but thanks to a breeding program launched in 1981 the population has gone up by 50%. So thanks to generous support, there may be hope for the endangered weasel of the USA.