Black-Footed Ferret
Last Review/Updated: May 31, 2002
Mustela nigripes
Extirpated in Alberta
These
large weasels are now one of the rarest of North American mammals.
Sixty cm (24 in.) long and weighing one kg (2.2 lb.), they have a buff
body, black feet and a black face mask.
The black-footed ferret is found in the prarie regions of North America, mostly in the United States. It is dependent upon prairie dog colonies for food and shelter. The extirpation (local extinction) of the prairie dog in Alberta led to the extirpation of the black-footed ferret. The only place in Canada where ferrets and prairie dogs still survive is near Val Marie in southern Saskatchewan. It is hoped that both species may one day be successfully reintroduced into Alberta.
