Hello, everyone! May I introduce myself?
 
My particular interest, for years, has been Mustelids (such as least weasels,
ermine, long-tails, Mink, otters, skunks, wolverines, and others, like - you
guessed it - domestic ferrets).  My interest began with a lithograph from USSR,
of an ermine in a snowy forest in southern Siberia.  The lithograph was in very
beautiful shades of greens, browns, and grey-blue, contrasting with the white
and cold pale gray of the snows and brown-black eyes and  whiskers of the er-
mine portrayed.  The lithograph hung on the wall of a colleagues office, where
I would ponder the visage of a Mustelid peering over a fallen tree as I came to
and left work; I found something hypnotic in the intense gaze and curiousity of
the animal portrayed.
 
My own curiousity led me to read CM King's 'Natural History of Weasels and
Stoats'.  King gives a very sensitive account of the wild creatures' tempera-
ment.  She also qualifies, at length, consequences of that seductive long shape
that many Mustelids have.  I came away from reading King with great wonderment
for the extra-ordinary beings, so energetic yet leading such hectic (as Marty
Stouffer might say) and improbable lives.  I guess I have found my totem -
weasels.
 
But weasels are *very* furtive, and you are un-likely to notice one, even in
the rare circumstance that you encounter one.  Still, weasel character is
evident in ya'll's accounts of domestic ferrets - the energy, the curiousity,
with, I gather the great bonus of a lot of, uh, well - personality!  Loveable
critters it seems... so why don't I own a ferret?
 
Living in Georgia, the best I've been able to do is read books.  Much of what
Dr. Winsted writes in her small book 'Ferrets' is born out in ya'll's notes.
(Especially notice-worthy, though, is the more comprehensive note from some-
one who learned from experience the dozen or so possible specific complications
ferrets encounter in reproduction.) I am smitten, still, so I also pursue
magazine literature regarding weasels and ferrets.
 
The readers here may find interesting CM Kings writing in Natural History 11/91
about ferrets wild cousin, the weasel.  Closer to home are several short arti-
cles throughout the '80s giving a heart-rending account of the fate of the USAs
own black-footed ferret.
 
The earlier articles have titles like "Missing and Presumed Dead" (Sports Il-
lustrated, 13 Oct 1980).  They give an account of one ferret's tragic encoun-
ter with a dog in Wyoming.  Since the black-footed ferret was presumed extinct
since 1975(?), the encounter did fire hopes that other individuals persisted.
"Last of the Black-footed Ferrets" (National Geographic, Je 83) details the
discovery that perhaps 40 individuals had survived - the photographs are par-
ticularly marvelous (as only NG can be) and illustrate some of the lovable
characteristics of the fuzzies in the wild masketeers.  I think the hope in
this article was faintly expressed that the species -COULD- be nursed back to
'health' (like buffalo, perhaps).
 
The bad news started cropping up in 1985, because the species had grown to 60
to 80 individuals, and some started dis-appearing. "Decline and Fall of Black-
footed Ferrets"(Nat.History 02/86) shows how the bubble burst when Wyoming
wildlife officials indecisively stalled a captive breeding program, and the
population decreased.  At one point, when perhaps less than 20 ferrets were
thought to survive, a meeting regarding the breeding program was interrupted
when a researcher burst in with a dead animal showing signs of canine distem-
per.
 
Evidently, that revelation of the distemper epidemic got some things moving.
The last account I found was "Prairie Dogs Beware : the Ferrets are Back"
(Science News vol. 140:279 page 2 - 1991).  The article indicates that captive
breeding resuscitated the species by a few tens of individuals, and many were
released into the wild.  Even so, I believe I saw that five had been killed by
coyote, hawk, or in a fight with a gopher, disease, or starvation, and two more
had been re-captured - one with an eye-infection and another because of in-
juries caused by a badger(another obstreporous Mustelid!)...
 
(My apologies, especially if the facts or citations are not accurate - I relate
 them the best I can remember them.)
 
Sorry if this is boring, but I would be babbling about our slinkier domestic
friend if I could.  I don't think I can have a ferret yet, while I'm in debt,
but I hope the laws in Georgia will change soon and make it easier for me to
purchase one or contact a ferret shelter and work with them, when the financing
works out better.
 
For Paul ([log in to unmask]) : are legal problems with ferrets a consequence of Rules
of the Georgia Dept. of Ag.?  Does Georgia qualify as a FFZ if Ga.DNR/Ag doesn'
confiscate animals like CA?  I've heard that the Georgia laws or rules have
special proscriptions regarding ferrets with pronounced masks and dark feet :
if that's true, then I suppose we can all see how irrational these rules are.
Why are ferrets proscribed or sanctioned against in any state?
 
For Katie : how can I get in touch with Jan Lovell or anyone else involved w/
Georgia Domestic Ferret Association?
 
Thanks to Chris for the FML, and everyone else for their fascinating contri-
butions to it; and if you got this far, thanks for reading.
 
Al... hope to hear from someone soon!
 
[Posted in FML issue 0737]