Tag Archives: Black-Footed Ferret

Volunteers needed to spotlight endangered black-footed ferrets

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SELIGMAN — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking volunteers to assist with spotlighting efforts to help document the population of endangered black-footed ferrets in Aubrey Valley and on the Double O Ranch near Seligman.

As part of the recovery effort, the department has scheduled two spring spotlighting projects – March 21 to 25 and April 18 to 21 (the department also conducts two spotlighting projects in the fall). The spotlighting method involves using high-powered lights to locate and identify black-footed ferrets. Their eyeshine is reflected by the spotlight and helps surveyors with identifying and locating these elusive, nocturnal carnivores.

Volunteers must have the ability to stay attentive from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. while spotlighting for black-footed ferrets and use, or learn how to use, a Global Positioning System (GPS). Volunteers can sign up by e-mailing azferret@azgfd.gov — with “spring spotlighting” in the subject line — by March 15 for this month’s project and by April 12 for the later opportunity.

Volunteers are reminded to include their full name, a contact phone number, month(s) and night(s) available to spotlight, and full names of others who also will be attending (a parent or guardian must accompany any youth under 18). Volunteers also should note any equipment they can bring, such as GPS, clipboard, headlamp, pen, binoculars, walkie-talkies, compass, cordless rechargeable spotlight, backpack or 4X4 vehicle.

A total of nine individual black-footed ferrets were captured in 2018, down from 19 in 2017. Of those nine, eight were captured in Aubrey Valley and one on the Double O Ranch. Almost 140 volunteers totaled 1,500 spotlighting hours over the course of the spring and fall projects.

Visit www.azgfd.gov/wildlife and click on “Nongame Species” for more information about the black-footed ferret recovery effort.

Volunteers needed to spotlight endangered black-footed ferrets

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SELIGMAN — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking volunteers to assist with spotlighting efforts to help document the population of endangered black-footed ferrets in Aubrey Valley and on the Double O Ranch near Seligman.

As part of the recovery effort, the department has scheduled two spring spotlighting projects – March 29-31 and April 26-29 (the department also conducts two spotlighting projects in the fall). The spotlighting method involves using high-powered lights to locate and identify black-footed ferrets. Their eyeshine is reflected by the spotlight and helps surveyors with identifying and locating these elusive, nocturnal carnivores.

Volunteers must have the ability to stay attentive from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. while spotlighting for black-footed ferrets and use, or learn how to use, a Global Positioning System (GPS). Volunteers can sign up by e-mailing azferret@azgfd.gov — with “spring spotlighting” in the subject line – by March 23 for this month’s project and by April 20 for the later opportunity.

Volunteers are reminded to include their full name, a contact phone number, month(s) and night(s) available to spotlight, and full names of others who also will be attending (a parent or guardian must accompany any youth under 18). Volunteers also should note any equipment they can bring, such as GPS, clipboard, headlamp, pen, binoculars, walkie-talkies, compass, cordless rechargeable spotlight, backpack or 4X4 vehicle.

A total of 19 individual black-footed ferrets were captured in 2017, slightly up from 16 in 2016. Of those 19, nine were captured in Aubrey Valley and 10 on the Double O Ranch. Almost 200 volunteers totaled 2,086 spotlighting hours over the course of the spring and fall projects.

Visit www.azgfd.gov/wildlife for more information about the black-footed ferret recovery effort.

Volunteers can help spotlight endangered black-footed ferrets

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SELIGMAN — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking volunteers to assist with fall spotlighting efforts to help document the population of endangered black-footed ferrets in Aubrey Valley and on the Double O Ranch, both near Seligman.

As part of the recovery effort, the department has scheduled two five-night spotlighting events—September 7 to 11 and October 5 to 9—and a three-night spotlighting event November 9 to 11. The spotlighting method involves using high-powered lights to locate and identify black-footed ferrets. Their eyeshine is reflected by the spotlight and helps surveyors with identifying and locating these elusive, nocturnal carnivores.

Volunteers must have the ability to stay attentive from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. while spotlighting for black-footed ferrets and use, or learn how to use, a Global Positioning System (GPS). Volunteers can sign up by e-mailing azferret@azgfd.gov — with “fall spotlighting” in the subject line – by September 1 for next month’s project, September 30 for the October event, and November 3 for the November event. Space is limited.

Volunteers are reminded to include their full name, a contact phone number, month(s) and night(s) available to spotlight, and full names of others who also will be attending (a parent or guardian must accompany any youth under 18). Volunteers also should note any equipment they can bring, such as GPS, clipboard, headlamp, pen, binoculars, walkie-talkies, compass, cordless rechargeable spotlight, backpack or 4X4 vehicle.

These events will be conducted to assess the black-footed ferret population before winter. The objectives include trapping those animals that were not caught in the spring, to trap older ones that need a canine distemper or plague booster, and to trap juveniles (or “kits”) to administer vaccinations.

For more information about the black-footed ferret recovery effort, visit the department’s website at www.azgfd.com/wildlife and click on “Nongame and Endangered Wildlife.”

Volunteers can help to spotlight endangered black-footed ferrets

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SELIGMAN — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking volunteers to assist with spotlighting efforts to help document the population of endangered black-footed ferrets in Aubrey Valley and on the Double O Ranch near Seligman.

As part of the recovery effort, the department has scheduled two spring spotlighting projects – March 9-12 and April 6-9 (the department also conducts two spotlighting projects in the fall). The spotlighting method involves using high-powered lights to locate and identify black-footed ferrets. Their eyeshine is reflected by the spotlight and helps surveyors with identifying and locating these elusive, nocturnal carnivores.

Volunteers must have the ability to stay attentive from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. while spotlighting for black-footed ferrets and use, or learn how to use, a Global Positioning System (GPS). Volunteers can sign up by e-mailing azferret@azgfd.gov — with “spring spotlighting” in the subject line – by March 3 for next month’s project and by March 30 for the later opportunity.

Volunteers are reminded to include their full name, a contact phone number, month(s) and night(s) available to spotlight, and full names of others who also will be attending (a parent or guardian must accompany any youth under 18). Volunteers also should note any equipment they can bring, such as GPS, clipboard, headlamp, pen, binoculars, walkie-talkies, compass, cordless rechargeable spotlight, backpack or 4X4 vehicle.

Visit www.azgfd.gov/wildlife and click on “Nongame Species” for more information about the black-footed ferret recovery effort.

Happy 20th anniversary to Arizona’s endangered black-footed ferrets

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ferretPHOENIX — Arizona’s endangered black-footed ferret population celebrated the 20th anniversary of its reintroduction to Arizona with the release of more animals into a new privately-owned reintroduction area. Through a new Safe Harbor Agreement, the Double O Ranch outside of Seligman yesterday became the third reintroduction site in Arizona.

‘This release was made possible by a Safe Harbor Agreement, a newer conservation option that aims to enlist the help of non-federal landowners to conserve species. We hope our new partnership with the Double O Ranch will lead to the establishment of Arizona’s third population and contribute to national recovery goals,” said Jennifer Cordova, the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s black-footed ferret program supervisor.

The species was thought to be extinct until a small colony of ferrets was discovered in Wyoming in 1981. Disease outbreaks reduced this population to about 18 individuals, which were captured to begin a captive breeding program to save the species. Before reintroduction, the last black-footed ferret in Arizona was found in 1931 in an area between Williams and Flagstaff.

The descendants of the original 18 ferrets have now been introduced into reintroduction sites across the west, including the Aubrey Valley outside of Seligman, Ariz. In 2008, Aubrey Valley was declared a successful reintroduction site by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as the population had become self-sustaining and no longer required augmentation.

Today, biologists estimate there are a minimum of 800 to 1,000 individual ferrets living in the wild.

While they resemble domestic pet ferrets, black-footed ferrets are a different species and are the only ferret native to North America. They can grow to be up to 2 feet long and can weigh up to 2 ½ pounds. One ferret can give birth to three to five kits each year.

The Arizona black-footed ferret reintroduction program is a joint effort of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Phoenix Zoo, U.S.D.A. APHIS Wildlife Services, Hualapai Nation, Navajo Nation, Arizona State Land Department, Babbitt Ranches and the Cholla Cattle Company.

Volunteers can help spotlight endangered black-footed ferrets

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Black-footed_FerretSELIGMAN — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking volunteers to assist with spotlighting efforts to help document the population of endangered black-footed ferrets in Aubrey Valley near Seligman.

As part of the recovery effort, the department has scheduled two fall spotlighting projects – Sept. 15-19 and Oct. 13-17. The spotlighting method involves using high-powered lights to locate and identify black-footed ferrets. Their eyeshine is reflected by the spotlight and helps surveyors with identifying and locating these elusive, nocturnal carnivores.

Volunteers must have the ability to stay attentive from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. while spotlighting for black-footed ferrets and use, or learn how to use, a Global Positioning System (GPS). Volunteers can sign up by e-mailing azferret@azgfd.gov – with “fall spotlighting” in the subject line – by Sept. 9 for next month’s project and by Oct. 7 for the later opportunity. Space is limited.

Volunteers are reminded to include their full name, a contact phone number, month(s) and night(s) available to spotlight, and full names of others who also will be attending (a parent or guardian must accompany any youth under 18). Volunteers also should note any equipment they can bring, such as GPS, clipboard, headlamp, pen, binoculars, walkie-talkies, compass, cordless rechargeable spotlight, backpack or 4X4 vehicle.

These events will be conducted to assess the black-footed ferret population before winter. The objectives include trapping those animals that were not caught in the spring, to trap older ones that need a canine distemper or plague booster, and to trap juveniles — called “kits” – to administer vaccinations. No black-footed ferrets were trapped during a spotlighting event in July, although there were 11 confirmed sightings and two litters documented.

For more information about the black-footed ferret recovery effort, visit the department’s website at www.azgfd.com/wildlife and click on “Nongame and Endangered Wildlife.”