Wild Ferret Diet

Wild ferrets hunt at night.

After facing near extinction from lack of food sources, the wild black-footed ferret is making a comeback in North America. Populations of the mustelids have increased gradually since conservation efforts in the 1980s began protecting the prairie lands where this species of wild ferret--the only one native to North America--lives and hunts. Although wild black-footed ferrets consume a limited diet, the future of their survival depends on a continual supply of prairie land resources, including previously foraged underground animal tunnels and small mammals.

Food Types

Prairie dogs make up 90 percent of a wild ferret's diet, according to the American Prairie Foundation. As an obligate carnivore, the North American black-footed ferret eats only animals. When its food of choice, prairie dogs, is not available, it may consume mice, gophers, ground squirrels, small reptiles, birds and eggs.

Ferret Features

The wild ferret's physique enables stealthy movements for hunting. The mammals rely on their acute sense of smell when hunting in dark, underground corridors. Their long, willowy bodies glide through narrow prairie dog tunnels. Additional adaptations help wild ferrets consume their prey, according to the Black-footed Ferret Recovery Program website. Sharp claws, strong jaws and needlelike teeth make catching and eating small mammals effortless.

Feeding Habits

In the evening, partially nocturnal wild ferrets slither through prairie dog tunnels in search of their next meal. Once they catch prey, they kill it and move the dead prey to an abandoned tunnel until dinner time. During the winter, wild ferrets may stay in the same burrow for an entire week and live off the stored prey.

Hunting Methods

Wild ferrets travel at a rate of 5 to 7 mph and can investigate up to 100 prairie dog tunnels in a single evening. After capturing a prairie dog, wild ferrets kill it with a bite to the back of the neck. They attack sleeping prairie dogs in their burrow so the prey is less likely to get away. A single wild ferret can kill and consume more than 100 prairie dogs in one year, according to the Black-footed Ferret Recovery Program website.

Protective Disguise

Many prairie-dwelling animals take notice when ferrets hunt. Eagles, coyotes and owls eat wild ferrets. To evade these predators, ferrets have distinct features to disguise their presence. Black-fur masks conceal the ferret's eyes, making them less noticeable in the night. Also, black fur on their tails, feet and legs makes them melt into the night's darkness.

References

• WWF, World Wildlife Fund: Black-footed Ferrets at Risk
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, South Dakota Field Office: Black-footed Ferret
• Black-footed Ferret Recovery Program: Ferret Facts
• Arizona Game and Fish Department: Black-footed Ferret
• New Hampshire Public Television: NatureWorks--Black-footed Ferret