The Kingman (Ariz.) Daily Miner published this fascinating article about continuing efforts to maintain populations of the rare black-footed ferret off Route 66 near Seligman.
That type of ferret was once considered extinct because of disease and other problems until a small group of them was found in Wyoming in the early 1980s. The effort to reintroduce them to that part of western Arizona started 13 years ago, and appears to be going well.
The reason wildlife authorities want ferrets in the area is because they are natural predators to prairie dogs. According to the article, a black-footed ferret can eat 100 prairie dogs a year. The black-footed ferret is North America’s only native ferret.