Black-footed Ferret Name: Black-footed Ferret Scientific name: Mustela nigripes Range: Was once found throughout the eastern and southern Rockies and the Great Plains. Some animals have been reintroduced into the wild in Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana. Habitat: Short and mid-grass prairies of the Great Plains. Black-footed ferrets frequently live in abandoned prairie dog burrows, and they are the only ferret native to North America. Status: Considered to be among the most endangered mammals in North America Diet in the wild: Primarily prairie dogs (90 percent), although they also will eat mice and other small animals, an occasional reptile, and
even insects Diet in the zoo: Carnivore diet; he eats processed meat product and some whole prey (but not prairie dogs!) Location in the zoo: Texas Twister Building in the Texas Wild! Exhibit
Physical description: - Body length: 18 to 24 inches, including a 5 to 6-inch tail Weight: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds Color: Black face mask, black feet, black-tipped tail; short, sleek fur; yellow-buff color - lighter on belly, and nearly white on forehead, muzzle and throat Short legs, large front paws
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