The Ferret Files: February 2011

Friday, February 11, 2011

Arizona Reporter » Black-Footed Ferret, Recovery Efforts Require Volunteers

I wish I lived near Arizonia right now because volunteers needed for the Black-footed ferret recovery efforts:

Arizona Reporter » Black-Footed Ferret, Recovery Efforts Require Volunteers

...March 17-21, Game and Fish will be conducting its annual spring spotlighting effort and needs volunteers to help document black-footed ferret numbers throughout the Aubrey Valley, just west of Seligman.

"Volunteers have always played a vital role in this recovery effort," said Jeff Pebworth, wildlife program manager at the Game and Fish Kingman office. "We don't have the personnel available to fully staff these events, and the program's continued success depends on people remaining involved."

Those wishing to volunteer, or needing more information, should e-mail azferret@azgfd.gov by March 11 with "March Spotlighting" in the subject line. Individuals should indicate which night(s) they are available to help; include a first and last name, a contact number, and if anyone else will be attending with them.

Additional information will be sent following contact, including meeting location and times.

Volunteers should also note any of the following equipment they can bring: GPS, clipboard, backpack (to carry a 30-pound battery), headlamp, pen, compass, binoculars, walkie-talkies, 4x4 vehicle (please list passenger capacity), compass, spotlight (that can plug into a cigarette lighter), or a cordless rechargeable spotlight.

If you join the volunteer effort, please write me about your experiences.

Melanie Dawn Molina Wood is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate LLC in Miami, Florida and a member of the US Green Building Council. She is a designated Eco-Broker and a long-time member of the Sierra Club. She shares her home with her daughter and five domesticated ferrets. You can visit her website at www.MelanieSellsMiami.com or follow her on Twitter @MelanieDawnMW

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

"Return of the Prairie Bandit" documentary to air February 10 on CBC's "Nature of Things"

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada's version of PBS in the US, will air filmmaker Kenton Vaughan's documentary "Return of the Prairie Bandit" on Thursday, February10, at 8:00 p.m. on "The Nature of Things."

This dramatic story of the ferrets’ reintroduction to the wild unfolds in Return of the Prairie Bandit, a new documentary by Kenton Vaughan set in the stunning prairie of southern Saskatchewan... At Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan, Canada’s last refuge for prairie dogs, the painstaking, precarious campaign to bring the ferret back is underway. Shot over the course of one year, Returnof the Prairie Bandit is a fascinating look at the ups and downs of this campaign set against the sweeping, stark beauty of the park.

The film charts the progress made by wildlife biologist Travis Livieri who is spearheading the black-footed ferret revival in North America. Alongside Parks Canada staff, he directs the release of the animal onto prairie dog colonies, and returns each season to check on their survival rate. At each turn, the ferrets face seemingly catastrophic challenges, from an unseasonably harsh winter to plague.

The show will air again on Thursday, February 17, at 10 pm ET/PT. For US audiences, visit "The Nature of Things" CBC website to watch online, and don't miss the video clip of a black-footed ferret happy dance. All of us who know and love our domesticated ferrets are familiar with this joyful little dance, and it made me laugh out loud to see their wild cousins dancing, too.

In a related story, the Canadian Wildlife Service and Park Canada set up motion activated cameras in the Grasslands National Park in November 2009. The original purpose was to see when the burrowing owls returned, so staff were surprised when black-footed ferrets showed up too. The next summer, Calgary Zoo staff used the same remote cameras to count prairie dogs and once again captured images of black-footed ferrets. Visit the CBC's Documentaries web page to see clips of the black-footed ferrets and other wildlife.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Ferret lobby's new argument: Legalization would save California money - San Jose Mercury News

An Environmental Impact Report by the Sacramento State University showing that domesticated ferrets are not a threat to indigenous wildlife didn't work. Perhaps appealing to California State's budgetary woes will.

Ferret lobby's new argument: Legalization would save California money - San Jose Mercury News

Short on cash and support in California's Legislature and stymied by procedural requirements at the Fish and Game Commission, a coalition of ferret legalization supporters is hoping to gain traction with a new argument on the cost of the state's ban...

Estimates on the state's illegal ferret population vary significantly, but pet industry experts estimate one-quarter of ferret supplies sold in the country come from California shelves.

Legalization proponents say those numbers show the state is missing out on revenue from sales of ferrets, which cost more than $100 apiece, and startup food and supplies, often bought when the owner purchases the pet in Nevada or other neighboring states.

"There's the cage, there's the food, there's the litter pans," said West Coast Ferrets Association member Debby Greatbanks. "It's a good $500 investment."...

"I don't think there's any doubt that there would be a positive economic impact for California, for California businesses and for revenue for California," said Michael Maddox, vice president of government relations for the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council.

What do you think?

The Ferret Files