Prairie Wildlife Research What We Do
Tracking and Relocating At-Risk Wildlife
Endangered Species Reintroduction & Monitoring
Black-footed ferrets were extinct in the wild by the late 1980’s and only 18 individuals remained at a captive breeding center. Successful reproduction in captivity produced enough young black-footed ferrets, called “kits,” for reintroduction back into the wild. Since 1991 more than 4,500 black-footed ferrets have been released into prairie dog colonies across North America. Releases have occurred on federal, state, tribal and private lands and included many partners. Prairie Wildlife Research is a key partner at several sites, using our knowledge and years of experience to give released black-footed ferrets the best chance to survive.
Monitoring Black-Footed Ferrets Across North America
Black-footed ferrets are listed as endangered across North America and the goal of recovery is to remove them from the list. Currently the black-footed ferret recovery plan calls for 1,500 breeding adults in the wild to be down-listed to threatened status and 3,000 adults in the wild to be de-listed completely. Monitoring of wild populations is essential to know how close we are to reaching those goals. Currently there are an estimated 300 adult black-footed ferrets in the wild thus we are one-fifth of the way to our first goal. Prairie Wildlife Research leads and organizes the annual monitoring surveys for black-footed ferrets in Conata Basin/Badlands, South Dakota, one of the largest and most important recovery sites to date. We also provide assistance to other recovery sites in South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Arizona, New Mexico, Mexico and Canada.
Support Conservation, Protect Wildlife
Passionate Experts Committed to Prairie Conservation
Services
Prairie Wildlife Research is available for wildlife consulting and contracting for a variety of different projects. Our areas of expertise include:
Wildlife Surveys
Wildlife surveys for black-footed ferrets, prairie dogs, swift fox, burrowing owls and other prairie species.
Mapping & Evaluation
Habitat mapping and evaluation of prairie dog colonies for black-footed ferret reintroduction.
Animal Health
Capture and anesthesia of wildlife in the field, particularly black-footed ferrets.
Reintroduction & Translocation
Reintroduction and translocation techniques for endangered and threatened species.
Passionate Experts Committed to Prairie Conservation
Outreach
Our staff at PrairieWildlife Research are experts and we are more than willing to share our knowledge with others. We have given presentations and spoken at schools (K-12), universities, conferences, symposiums, public gatherings and private functions. We are available to present programs about:
Black-Footed Ferret Research
Black-footed ferret history, biology and recovery efforts.
Prairie Dog Ecosystem Monitoring
The prairie dog ecosystem, including other prairie species.
Prairie & Animal Health
Effects of plague on black-footed ferrets and the prairie dog ecosystem.
Endangered Species
Reintroduction and recovery of endangered species.
Prairie Ecology
Preserving prairie ecosystems through research, habitat protection, and native species conservation efforts.
Contact Us
If you have questions or would like to request Prairie Wildlife Research for a speaking engagement, please feel free to contact us.
Research-Driven Conservation for Lasting Impact
Research
Research is such an important part of wildlife conservation and endangered species recovery that we decided to incorporate it into our name, Prairie Wildlife Research. In order to conserve a species like the black-footed ferret we must truly understand it. We collaborate with many partners on research projects ranging from genetics to survival to stress and more. Below are some of our research publications. Please feel free to contact us with any questions about our research.
