Ferrets Back to Meeteetse

Ferrets are on their way back to Meeteetse this summer, and the people there are prepared. Wyoming’s Game and Fish biologists held an open house in the small northwest Wyoming town Wednesday, and found most of the people are excited to get the ferrets back. Black Footed Ferrets were discovered on two nearby ranches in 1981, when the animals were considered possibly extinct. There were only eighteen left when they were trapped and put into breeding facilities. Since, hundreds of ferrets have been released in six western states, Canada, and Mexico. But, Meeteetse couldn’t get them back because the ferrets prey, prairie dogs, were dying from the plague.Wyoming’s Game and Fish researchers tested a new plague vaccine on the Meeteetse ranches, and found it was successful in bringing back healthy prairie dog colonies. The Game and Fish hopes to re-introduce ferrets to the Meeteetse area in late July...more