Endangered Species Guide : Mammals : Animal Planet

Endangered Mammals

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BLACK-FOOTED FERRET (Mustela nigripes)

The black-footed ferret is a carnivorous mammal with short ears, a short snout and five toes on each foot. Once common on the plains of the Central United States, populations declined rapidly with the extirpation of prairie dogs, their main prey species. The black-footed ferret is currently listed as extinct in the wild, but captive breeding programs may allow for successful reintroduction of wild populations.

Learn how to symbolically adopt this animal at WWF.

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IUCN Status: Extinct in the Wild
USFWS Status: Endangered
Major Threat: Loss of prey species, habitat loss and disease
Habitat: Short or middle grass prairies and rolling hills
Location: Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming
Diet: Mainly prairie dogs

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Pictures: AP Photo |

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