Ferrets face decimation from plague

[flashl]

WALL, South Dakota: A colony that contains nearly half of the black-footed ferrets in the United States and that biologists say is critical to the long-term health of the species has been struck by plague, which may have killed a third of the 300 animals.

A much-publicized endangered species in the 1970s that had dwindled to 18 animals, the black-footed ferret had struggled to make a comeback and had been doing relatively well for decades. But plague, always a threat to the ferrets and their main prey, prairie dogs, has struck with a vengeance this year, partly because of the wet spring.

The ferrets are an easy target for the bacteria.

"They are exquisitely sensitive to the plague," said Travis Livieri, a wildlife biologist who is trying to save the colony. "They don't just get sick, they die. No ifs, ands or buts."

IHT

Just in case there are ferret lovers out there.

[Muttocracy]

1. again? isn't this part of what killed off many before?

If I remember correctly, their immune systems are not the greatest because there was so little genetic diversity left when the last few were bred in captivity.

[Xithras]

3. Perhaps, but this could be good in the long run for the species.

Assuming that they can avoid extinction in the interim, this sort of thing usually strengthens a species overall. That's how natural selection works. The individuals with the weakest immune systems catch the disease more readily and die off. The traits that made them more susceptible die off with them. The remaining population, with stronger immune systems, passes on their genes to the next generation. After enough of these hit, the remaining population will begin to develop resistances to the disease. It's not pretty to watch, but this is how species develop resistances to illness over time.

[Muttocracy]

4. I know that's how it works but they wer down to only a few hundred

so they've already been through a tremendous bottleneck.

[rug]

2. Are there any good drugstores nearby?

[newfie11]

5. Wall Drug!!

They have anything you could want from food to having your picture taken. Maybe even some ferret meds

[TlalocW]

6. Oh, man

While I feel for the ferrets, I thought for a minute they meant domesticated ones, and I just lost one of my babies and am not ready to lose another for a while.

TlalocW