Laramie, Wy – State and federal wildlife officials
plan to reintroduce a group of black-footed ferrets north of
Medicine Bow in an effort to expand the range of the first
Biologist Martin Grenier is coordinating Wyoming's ferret
reintroduction efforts for the state Game and Fish Department.
He says about 50 ferrets -- some captive ferrets from Wyoming,
possibly mixed with wild ferrets from South Dakota -- will be
released in the Shirley Basin this fall.
The releases will be both north and south of the original
Shirley Basin ferret reintroduction site.
Black-footed ferrets were feared to be extinct before the last
known wild population - only 18 animals - was discovered near
Meeteetse in 1981. Through a captive breeding program and planned
reintroductions, the species' numbers have grown to about 450
throughout the West.