21. Black-Footed Ferret (Endangered Species), Wildlife Species Information: U.S. Fis The US Fish and wildlife Service listed blackfooted ferrets as endangeredin 1967 under a precursor to the Endangered Species Act of 1973. http://species.fws.gov/species_accounts/bio_ferr.html

Black-footed ferret, ( Mustela nigripes Line Art (8.9 K image) The black-footed ferret probably never was abundant, but its underground, nocturnal habits make it difficult for biologists to know for certain. The ferret's primary food source is the prairie dog, and ferrets live in the prairie dog's burrow. Line Art (1.2 K image) Line Art (18.3 K image) Black-footed ferrets hunt prairie dogs at night, but occasionally they are active above ground during the day. In search of prey, they move along in loping bounds from one burrow to the next. [US FWS Line Art by Robert Savannah] Photograph (39.3 K image) [US FWS Photograph By Rick Krueger] Biologists consider black-footed ferrets to be the most endangered mammal in the United States. Recently, however, thanks to aggressive captive-breeding and reintroduction programs, much progress has been made toward recovering the ferret population. Black-footed ferrets are members of the weasel family (Mustelidae), a distinction they share with weasels, martens, fishers, otters, minks, wolverines and skunks. Larger than weasels, black-footed ferrets are long, slender-bodied animals similar in size to a mink. They are characterized by a brownish-black mask across the face, a brownish head, black feet and legs, and a black tip on the tail. Ferrets' short, buff-colored fur becomes lighter on the underside of their bodies. The middle of the back has brown-tipped guard hairs that create the appearance of a dark saddle. Black-footed ferrets may look like the ferrets found in pet stores but they are actually a different species. Both belong to the weasel family but ferrets sold as pets evolved in Europe, while endangered black-footed ferrets evolved in North America.

22. Defenders Comments BLM For Restoring Rare Ferrets build on the success of ferret recovery at UL.Bend, part of the Charles M. RussellNational wildlife Refuge, where ferrets have been reintroduced since 1994. http://www.defenders.org/releases/pr2001/pr110901.html

November 9, 2001 Contact: newsroom@defenders.org Defenders commends BLM for restoring rare ferrets MISSOULA, Mont. After an absence of many decades, 20 highly endangered black-footed ferrets are being returned today to public land in central Montana by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as part of a larger effort to restore a healthy population of these animals throughout the Great Plains. "We are very encouraged that the BLM is taking the initiative and restoring America’s most endangered land mammal to the prairies of Montana. This area is our greatest hope for reestablishing black-footed ferrets," said Minette Johnson, Defenders of Wildlife’s Northern Rockies field representative. "We have been working long and hard to get ferrets on the ground, and today it will finally happen". The black-footed ferret is the only ferret that is native to North America. Ferrets once lived throughout the Great Plains, wherever prairie dogs occurred, from Saskatchewan to Mexico, from the foothills of the Rockies to the Dakotas, Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Ferrets are 20 to 24 inches long and weigh up to two and a half pounds and distinguished by their black mask and black feet. Black-footed ferrets are one of more than 100 prairie denizens that rely on prairie dogs for survival. Prairie dogs are 90 percent of the ferret’s food, and they also use their dens for shelter. Poisoning programs initiated in the 1900s to eliminate prairie dog colonies decimated ferrets. Habitat loss through conversion to agriculture also played a role in their demise, as well as sylvatic plague that has wiped out prairie dogs throughout the grasslands.

23. A Historic Wildlife Conservation Moment: Endangered Black-Footed Ferrets Return The ferrets will be released by the US Fish and wildlife Service incollaboration with the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. http://www.doi.gov/news/010926.html

U.S. Department of the Interior Office of the Secretary For Immediate Release: September 26, 2001 Contact: Dario Bard (FWS) MEDIA ADVISORY A HISTORIC WILDLIFE CONSERVATION MOMENT: Endangered Black-footed Ferrets return to Mexico On Tuesday, October 2, the black-footed ferret, a species considered extinct in Mexico and endangered in the U.S., will return to Mexican soil. More than two dozen ferrets from three breeding facilities the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center near Laramie, Wyoming; the Phoenix Zoo in Arizona; and the Toronto Zoo in Ontario, Canada will be released in the vicinity of Janos, Chihuahua, Mexico, roughly 140 miles from El Paso, Texas. This marks the first time the U.S., Mexico, and Canada have joined forces to restore a species that has disappeared in Mexico. The ferrets will be released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in collaboration with the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Black-footed ferrets are an endangered species. Only 700 remain in the world today, with about half of those living in the wild. Although the number remains low, it is a remarkable comeback story considering that only 18 black-footed ferrets remained in 1987. Re-establishing self-sustaining wild populations has not been easy, and thus far, the Conata Basin, South Dakota, reintroduction represents the only successful effort. The difficulty lies in the absence of large, disease-free and viable prairie dog towns, which provide sustenance and shelter for black footed ferrets. Biologists believe the Janos, Mexico site holds great promise, since it is home to half a million disease-free prairie dogs, the largest prairie dog colony remaining in North America. By returning the black-footed ferret to Janos, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the

24. Ferrets And The Law fencing or caging to contain the ferrets; The proximity of wildlife refuges, naturereserves, national parks or other areas where ferrets may significantly http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Village/9074/law/ferrets_and_the_law.html

The following article was originally written by the Ferret PAWS (NZ) Inc Treasurer, John Chessum, for the November 1998 issue of Warm Fuzzies. It is reproduced here for those who may not have access to that publication. Ferrets and the Law It is legal to own ferrets as domestic pets on the North and South Islands of New Zealand, however ownership is controlled by the Wildlife (Farming of Unprotected Wildlife) Regulations 1985, which are issued under the Wildlife Act 1953. The regulations require that a license be obtained by anyone who: Keeps more than three ferrets in captivity, Breeds a ferret, Sells a ferret, Conveys a ferret for the purposes of farming, breeding or selling, or Keeps a ferret in captivity for the purposes of farming, breeding or selling. It should be noted in connection with points (c) and (d) above that licensed owners may provide up to three ferrets to people intending to keep them as domestic pets, but may otherwise only sell or convey ferrets to other licensed owners. Licenses are issued by the Department of Conservation (DOC). Criteria applied by DOC when considering applications for licenses may include: That the applicant has the approval of the local council That the applicant has suitable fencing or caging to contain the ferrets The proximity of wildlife refuges, nature reserves, national parks or other areas where ferrets may significantly threaten the protection of rare, endangered or threatened species of wildlife.

25. Distemper In Raccoons Owners of pet ferrets should have their animals vaccinated against canine distemperwhich is fatal in ferrets. wildlife rehabbers should quarantine any new http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/4892/raccoondistemper.html

Distemper in Raccoons Raccoon Distemper Next to humans, the second leading cause of death of raccoons is distemper. Raccoons are susceptible to infection by both canine and feline distemper. Although they both can cause acute illness and death, they are caused by two completely different viruses. Canine Distemper is a a highly contagious disease of carnivores caused by a virus that affects animals in the families Canidae, Mustelidae and Procyonidae. Canine distemper is common when raccoon populations are large. The virus is widespread and mortality in juveniles is higher than in adults. Feline distemper , also called feline panleukopenia, catplague, cat fever, feline agranulocytosis, and feline infectious enteritis, is an acute, highly infectious viral disease affecting members of the Felidae, Mustelidae and Procyonidae. Signs and Symptoms Canine distemper in raccoons starts slowly, initially appearing as an upper respiratory infection, with a runny nose and watery eyes developing into conjunctivitis (the most visible symptoms). As time wears on, the raccoon can develop pneumonia. The raccoon may be thin and debilitated and diarrhea is a clear symptom. In the final stage of the disease, the raccoon may begin to wander aimlessly in a circle, disoriented and unaware of its surroundings, suffer paralysis or exhibit other bizarre behaviour as a result of brain damage. Many of these symptoms are indistinguishable from, and therefore often mistaken for, the signs of rabies which can only be determined by laboratory testing.

26. About Ferrets Help California ferrets pose no threat to agriculture or wildlife. Fiftystates report that there are no feral populations of ferrets http://www.ferretcompany.com/content/aboutferrets.html

Ferret History Exactly where and when the first ferret was invited into someone's home is unknown, but early references to ferret-like creatures can be found in the writings of Aristophanes around 500 B.C. Aristotle also wrote of a tame, weasel-like animal, an apt description of our domesticated ferret. Like other animals man has chosen for domestication, ferrets were predisposed for our friendship. Domesticated ferrets moved across Europe with the conquering Romans, earning their keep by flushing rabbits from their warrens for expectant hunters. The original ancestors of the ferret - the wild polecats of Europe or Asia - were sable in coloring, but hunting with white or albino ferrets made retrieval in the field easier. Pet ferrets today have coats of many colors - sable, albino, chocolate, and silver-mitt, to name just a few. Early ferrets also travelled far and wide on sailing ships, working as rodent patrol. Nooks and crannies on these ships weren't too tiny for a ferret's small body, since ferrets can turn around in very tight places, allowing them into areas off-limits to the cat. Ferrets may have arrived in the New World with the original settlers in the late 1600s. Since reaching U.S. shores, ferrets have been used for hunting and rodent control, and were even raised for their fur (fortunately, they were not well suited for this purpose). While hunting with ferrets is still practiced in Britain, ferrets are no longer used for this purpose in the U.S. Today the domesticated ferret is a cherished and often pampered member of the household throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.

27. Black-Footed Ferret -- Kids' Planet -- Defenders Of Wildlife Comprehensive information about the appearance, size, habitat, and diet of the ferret.Category Kids and Teens School Time Animals Mammals ferrets...... Today, captivebred ferrets have been reintroduced to the Shirley Basin in Wyoming;UL Bend National wildlife Refuge in Montana; the Fort Belknap Reservation http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/ferret.html

Defenders of Wildlife 1101 Fourteenth St. Suite 1400 Washington, DC Tel: 202-682-9400 Fax: 202-682-1331 STATUS: Endangered DESCRIPTION: The black-footed ferret is a member of the weasel family (mustelids). It has a long neck and black markings on its face, the tip of its tail and on its feet. It is very quick and agile and is most active at night (nocturnal). SIZE: Ferrets grow up to 2 feet in length (including a 6 inch tail) and weigh approximately 2 to 3 pounds. POPULATION: Approximately a thousand black-footed ferrets live in captivity at breeding facilities, while another 80 exist in the wild following release by the federal government. LIFESPAN: Black-footed ferrets have been known to live up to 12 years in captivity. RANGE: The black-footed ferret was once found throughout the eastern and southern Rockies and the Great Plains. HABITAT: Prairie dog towns of the plains and plateaus are also home to the black-footed ferret, who utilize their burrows for shelter and travel. FOOD: Prairie dogs make up the main staple of the ferret’s diet although they occasionally eat mice and other small animals.

28. Biosecurity - Ferret Factsheet ferrets menace vulnerable native wildlife from kiwi to penguins. AsMinister of Conservation, I am troubled by reports that ferrets http://www.forest-bird.org.nz/biosecurity/ferrets.asp

29. Wildlife On The Isle Of Mull Mull it will soon become obvious that this is a good place for wildlife. There arealso polecats, weasels, stoats, feral ferrets, rabbits, blue and brown hares http://www.holidaymull.org/wildlife.html

Wildlife on Mull Back to the index page CLICK HERE Red Deer Even on a brief visit to Mull it will soon become obvious that this is a good place for wildlife. Red deer roam the hills. Eagles and Buzzards soar over the skylines. Seals and otters can be seen in many of the bays and inlets. Mull's blend of mountains, coastline, moorland and bogs is a wonderful habitat for both flora and fauna. Red deer are seen on the hills and in the many forests here. In the winter they are often found along the shoreline licking the salt from the rocks. Fallow deer inhabit the wooded area around Gruline and Salen and wild white goats are found from Grass Point in the south-east down to the Ross of Mull in the south-west. Seals are easily viewed from a number of points on the island, but the best way to see them is from a boat, as they swim in the sea or bask on one of the small islands around Mull. Both the common seal and the Atlantic grey seal (the third rarest seal in the world) are frequently seen. Grey Seal Pup Common dolphin One of Mull's bottlenose dolphins Mull is one of the best places to see whales and dolphins in the UK and Europe too. The waters around Mull are home to bottlenose dolphins, minke whales and harbour porpoises. Risso's dolphins, killer whales, common dolphins and Atlantic white-sided dolphins are also common visitors to the area.

30. Reprint Of Email Re:Ferrets To Mr. Evan Thompson In summary, our Department's concerns over legalization of ferrets for pet keepingpurposes centers around the risk to wildlife, predation by escaped pets, or http://www.ferretnews.org/feremail.htm

Annotated Bibliography Population Estimates 1996-97 National Survey Ferret Issues California Department of Fish and Game Internet Message dated September 14, 1998, Regarding Restrictions on the Possession of Domestic Ferrets We have reprinted, verbatim, the following message, which was sent by e-mail on September 14, 1998, from Department biologist Ron Jurek to Mr. Evan Thompson. This reply was in response to Mr. Thompson's e-mailed message to this Department requesting an explanation as to why domestic ferrets are not legal in California. The Department's reply is essentially the same form-letter response that our agency has been using to reply by letter to similar requests for information. Unfortunately, within a month of the e-mail transmission, inaccurate versions of our reply have been showing up on the Internet, containing minor to major deviations from the original letter. Mr. Thompson posted our personal reply to him onto a ferret interest group list on September 15, but in so doing, an electronic problem in translating symbols caused one of the calculations, "1 percent," to be inadvertently copied without the "

31. More Endangered Black-Footed Ferrets Born In The Wild, 1996 Chief Financial Offi The pattern for the reestablishment of any species in the wild follows what we haveseen with ferrets, said Wilbur Ladd, Fish and wildlife Service Assistant http://www.fws.gov/r9financ/cfo96/ferret.html

Message from the Acting Director ACHIEVING THE MISSION: Mission and Organization Conservation Achievements and Challenges Customer Service Commitment FINANCING THE MISSION: Message from the CFO Principal Financial Statements Independent Auditors' Report Supporting Financial Statements CARRYING OUT THE MISSION: Programs and Activities of the Service SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Organization of the Service Annual Stewardship Land Report National Wildlife Refuges Map National Fish Hatcheries Map ... Schedule of Budgetary Resources Working With America 1996 Annual Report of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service More Endangered Black-Footed Ferrets Born in the Wild Ongoing surveys conducted by biologists with both State and Federal agencies resulted in discovery of a minimum of 12 litters of young born in the wild in 1996 at Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge in Montana and the Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Biologists estimate 7 litters in Montana and 5 in South Dakota with about 2 kits per litter for a total of around 12 young at each site. This is the first year that females, previously born in the wild themselves, are known to have produced their own young. This observation is encouraging since wildlife biologists believe that the more natural an environment that a kit is exposed to during its early development, the more likely it will survive to reproduce.

32. U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE - SOUTH DAKOTA - "Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Pr and wildlife Service, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and American Zoo andAquarium Association began a captive breeding program for blackfooted ferrets http://southdakotafieldoffice.fws.gov/FERRET.HTM

Mountain-Prairie Region South Dakota Ecological Services Field Office NATIONAL BLACK-FOOTED FERRET RECOVERY PROGRAM In 1981, a small group of black-footed ferrets was discovered on a ranch near Meeteetse, Wyoming, after the species was thought to be extinct. However, in 1985 outbreaks of canine distemper and sylvatic plague killed nearly all of the Meeteetse ferret population. To save the species, the last 18 ferrets were trapped between 1985 and early 1987 and moved to a captive breeding facility in Sybille Canyon, Wyoming (now known as the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and American Zoo and Aquarium Association began a captive breeding program for black-footed ferrets in 1987. Captive breeding facilities have since expanded to six additional facilities in the United States and Canada. Preconditioning of ferrets prior to release has been demonstrated to be an important reintroduction technique. Ferrets are housed in outdoor pens where they live in prairie dog burrows and encounter live prairie dogs (their main food source). All released ferrets are ear tattooed and have a small transponder chip implanted under their skin to aid in individual identification. Some are also radio-collared to track movement and survival. Spotlight surveys are used to locate litters born in the wild. Scientists are also working to develop vaccines for plague and canine distemper, two diseases which have decimated ferret populations in the past.

33. IWC Wildlife Links nonprofit organization serving the needs of unwanted and abandoned ferrets, anddedicated to Dismal Swamp Shrew A US Fish and wildlife Fact Sheet about an http://www.iwc.org/WildlifeLinks/mammals.htm

More IWC Pages! Home Whale Adoption Project Compassionate Traveler Membership Donate Whale Sightings Wildlife Store Issues and Projects Dog Bite Alternatives World Animal News Eye On Wildlife Teachers' Kit Wildlife Links GuestBook About IWC Site Map Contact IWC Mammals Here you will find links to: Ferrets... Wolves... Lemurs... Koalas... Mammal Protection Organizations... General Mammal Information Ferrets Treasured Ferrets : The purpose of this Web site is to introduce people to the Wonderful World of Ferrets and to educate people on the care and mainentance of ferrets. Oregon Ferret Association - Information on the ferret shelter, and links to html versions of the OFA's newsletters. - non-profit organization serving the needs of unwanted and abandoned ferrets, and dedicated to public education on care of the domestic ferret. Modern Ferret - The Ferret Lifestyle Magazine. Bi-monthly color magazine for ferret owners by ferret owners. Ferret Central - Ferret FAQ, other ferret sites, medical FAQ, and photos.

34. Ferrets Anonymous - Legalization News - Yet Another Fish And Game These organizations have consistently lied about ferrets and theirability to impact wildlife. They don't seem to care that the http://www.ferretsanonymous.com/archives/cfl_000211.html

35. The Campbell Reporter | Pet Ferrets We've long been adamantly opposed to ferret legalization because of the risk ferretspose to wildlife and public safety, says Ronald Jurek, the department's http://www.svcn.com/archives/campbellreporter/06.23.99/cover-9925.html

June 23, 1999 Campbell, California Photograph by Dai Sugano Pop Goes the Weasel In the state of California, ferrets are fugitives- and so are the owners By Jessica Lyons Sarah speaks in code over the phone. Snoopy state officials may have tapped her line. The state says she is a criminal. But activists say she's a '90s freedom fighter. She's leery when it comes to talking about her hobby. So, who's your supplier? I ask. Sarah says she smuggles across state lines. What have you got in your possession right now? That's a touchy subject. Undercover officers have been infiltrating meetings, she says. Sarah and husband Gregor, both using pseudonyms, have been underground for about 10 years now. If discovered, the duo could face jail time and be slapped with a fine. Damn the consequences, the two say, they are doing the right thing. Sarah agrees to meet. We settle on a neutral location: a local school playground at dusk. No cops, no wires. Just me and my notebook. Sarah and Greg will be waiting in the parking lot. They'll bring the ferrets with them.

36. Conservation Action Network Protect BlackFooted ferrets and Other Prairie wildlife - 1/9/2002Save Endangered ferrets - 3/22/2001. Inadequate Management Plan http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org/results/ferrets.asp

Protect Black-Footed Ferrets and Other Prairie Wildlife - 1/9/2002 Save Endangered Ferrets - 3/22/2001 Inadequate Management Plan Finalized for U.S. National Grasslands In early 2002, Conservation Action Network activists sent close to 5,000 messages urging the U.S. Forest Service to develop a strong plan for managing the national grasslands. The plan will affect the future of endangered black-footed ferrets, prairie dogs, burrowing owls, ferruginous hawks, swift foxes, and other wildlife that depend on national grasslands within the globally outstanding Northern High Plains ecoregion. Once teeming with a mosaic of wildlife, the Northern High Plains ecoregion has suffered greatly from more than a century of development and agricultural activity. Unfortunately, despite your efforts, the Forest Service adopted an inadequate final plan for managing nearly 3 million acres of the region's grasslands. The plan shortchanges proposed wilderness, opens more wildlife habitat to oil and gas development, and fails to recommend the designation of any Wild and Scenic Rivers. World Wildlife Fund will work instead toward a different vision: we believe that many parts of the Northern High Plains ecosystem can be restored and can serve as the foundation of a stable economy. Partial Victory on Black-footed Ferret Conservation Despite sending the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) tens of thousands of messages, Conservation Action Network activists were unable to convince the agency to restrict shooting of prairie dogs, the primary food source for the endangered black-footed ferret. Activists who sent messages to the BLM received a response (copy below) describing the BLM's current shooting restrictions, which we believe are biologically inadequate to allow ferret recovery. BLM's reply also included the disappointing news that the agency would not institute new shooting restrictions, but would instead wait for the state of Montana to consider regulating the shooting of prairie dogs.

37. BLM Releases Black-footed Ferrets In Phillips County Today the Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and wildlife Service and Montana Departmentof Fish, wildlife and Parks released 20 ferrets in an area known as http://www.mt.blm.gov/ea/news2001/ferrets.11-9-01.htm

November 9, 2001 Contact: Jody Weil, 406-896-5258 Bruce Reed, 406-654-1240 MALTA One of the rarest mammals in North America, the black-footed ferret, has a new opportunity for recovery in Montana. BLM will continue to coordinate with the FWP on prairie dog management and conservation in the 40-Complex. The agencies are also working closely with area residents and local citizens concerned with the recovery of black-footed ferrets. More specifically, the agencies are working with the Prairie Ecosystem Action Council and the Montana Black-footed Ferret Working Group, a coalition of federal, state and tribal agencies, private landowners, and other non-government organizations. The black-footed ferret was federally listed as endangered in 1967 and was thought to be extinct. In 1981, however, a colony of 130 black-footed ferrets was discovered in Meeteetse, Wyo. After an outbreak of canine distemper and plague, only 18 ferrets remained. The USFWS and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department collected the remaining ferrets and set up a captive breeding facility. Since the breeding program began in 1987, more than 3,000 black-footed ferrets have been raised at 11 facilities throughout the U.S. One such captive breeding facility exists at Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, Mont. However, the ferrets released today came from the Sybill breeding facility in Wyoming. The reintroduction of black-footed ferrets began in 1991 in central Wyoming. Since then, ferrets have been released in five states - Wyoming, Arizona, Utah, South Dakota, Montana - and in Mexico.

38. Two Young Black-footed Ferrets Discovered In Northern Montana BLM, the US Fish wildlife Service, and the Montana Department of Fish, wildlife Parks are working now to release 24 more blackfooted ferrets in Phillips http://www.mt.blm.gov/ea/news2002/ferrets.8-15-02.htm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: August 15, 2002 Contact: Marc Whisler (Billings), (406) 896-5024 John Grensten (Malta), (406) 654-5125 Two young black-footed ferrets discovered in northern Montana Last November, 20 ferrets that had been raised in a captive facility in Wyoming were released in two prairie dog towns in Phillips County. Biologists counted only two of the original 20 still alive, but admit the ferrets are much more secretive than any previously released in Montana and some may be staying more underground. But the discovery of two wild-born kits on BLM land is encouraging and sets the stage for continued efforts in the successful re-introduction of the species in the wild.

39. Wildlife Services Highlights Report 1997 WS work for the protection of threatened and endangered wildlife species is numberof States to protect animals such as blackfooted ferrets, California least http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/wshl97/endspecies.html

40. Department Of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai Skip Past Navigation Banning ferrets will remove an avoidable threat to vulnerable native wildlife. Herreasons included; The impact ferrets have on vulnerable native wildlife. http://www.doc.govt.nz/Whats-New/Issues/Archive/Ferret-Breeding-and-Sales-Banned

Consulting On E Cards Issues New on the Site ... Newsletter Issues Archive Mt Ruapehu Crater Lake Native Species and RCD (Possible Effects) Native Species and RCD (Species at Risk) ... Reassessment of 1080 Archive Cave Creek A South Pacific Whale Sanctuary (Agenda Paper) (PDF) Animal Health Board to use 1080 Against Possums in the Blue Mountains Aoraki Mt Cook National Park Management Plan (Factsheet) ... Waikaremoana and Roading Issues Ferret Breeding and Sales Banned March 2002 Announcement I have announced the sale, distribution and breeding of ferrets is to be banned. The Chief Technical Officer is declaring them unwanted organisms under the Biosecurity Act. Existing pets and farms will be exempt. However, pet owners will be unable to sell, breed, display, release or give away their ferrets. The declaration will come into effect when the Biosecurity Amendment Bill 2001 is passed into legislation. This is an important decision as ferrets are unwanted pests. They kill vulnerable native species, like kiwi and penguins. As potential TB carriers, they risk our farming industry. Pet ferrets can escape to establish breeding populations. They present a biosecurity risk to the all too few ferret-free areas on the mainland and offshore islands. I am aware that some people are very fond of their pet ferrets but as New Zealanders we all have a responsibility to try to ensure the survival of native species only found in our country. This announcement comes after a review of the Regulations under the Wildlife Act, administered by the Department of Conservation, which govern the management of ferrets. The previous Government started this review and I have continued with it. Last year I asked DOC to investigate mechanisms for achieving a ban.

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