| fleas of black-footed ferrets and their potential role in the movement of plague. | sylvatic plague is one of the major impediments to the recovery of the black-footed ferret ( mustela nigripes ) because it decimates their primary prey species, prairie dogs ( cynomys spp.), and directly causes mortality in ferrets. fleas are the primary vector of yersinia pestis , the causative agent of sylvatic plague. the goal of this research was to better understand the flea fauna of ferrets and the factors that might influence flea abundance on ferrets. fleas from ferrets were tested for y ... | 2017 | 28384062 |
| ectoparasites in black-footed ferrets (mustela nigripes) from the largest reintroduced population of the conata basin, south dakota, usa. | the black-footed ferret, mustela nigripes, is an endangered carnivore endemic to the grasslands of north america. we present the first investigation of ectoparasites associated with black-footed ferrets since reintroduction. we sampled more than 200 individuals from one of the largest and most successful reintroduced populations located in the conata basin of south dakota, usa. we compared our findings with ectoparasite assemblages of sympatric carnivores and historic ferret records. we collecte ... | 2014 | 24499333 |
| the black-footed ferret: on the brink of recovery? | in an attempt to save the species from extinction, the last remaining 18 black-footed ferrets (mustela nigripes) were trapped up from the wild to initiate a captive breeding program. nearly 30 years later more than 8,000 black-footed ferrets have been produced in captivity and approximately 4,100 animals have been reintroduced into 20 sites in eight us states (arizona, new mexico, utah, colorado, kansas, wyoming, south dakota and montana), mexico and canada. however, full recovery of the species ... | 2014 | 25091909 |