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MARCH 30, 2001

A Montana conservation group wants the Bureau of Land Management to ban shooting of prairie dogs in order to help the recovery of the black-footed ferret, the most endangered mammal in North America.

Since the ferrets feed almost exclusively on prairie dogs and use prairie dog homes for shelter, the Predator Conservation Alliance says the dogs need protection from recreational shooting. They want shooting banned on all ferret-recovery areas, which would include the Fort Belknap Reservation and the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge.

A BLM wildlife biologist says shooting is prohibited in some areas where the ferret is being recovered. But Marc Whisler said there is inadequate scientific information to expand the no-shooting zone to encompass the entire ferret recovery area.

Get the Story:
Campaign urges BLM to ban prairie dog shooting (The Billings Gazette 3/30)

BLM No-Shooting Release:
Areas closed to firearm discharge (BLM October 1999)

Relevant Links:
Black-footed ferret, US Fish and Wildlife - http://species.fws.gov/bio_ferr.html
Black-footed Ferret Recovery - http://www.blackfootedferret.org