Rick--I have also read McKay's book.  While for the most part it is very
good, some sections are, well, uneven.  For example, he states that ferrets
are feral everywhere, but only mentions two specific locations; the UK and
NZ.  The other areas are anecdotal in nature, and it was irresponsible of
McKay to make such statements without proof or references.
 
I have been deeply investigating this issue, and can say that after four
months, a bibliography that has almost 3000 entries, and extensive science
and medicine database searches (as well as scores of dusty old citation and
periodical indexes) that feral fitch exist in the UK and New Zealand.
Anywhere else is rumor, unsupported, or undocumented (one can only find what
is there to find.  There may be feral populations in some areas of Europe,
but nothing has been published nor cited).  I have also called long distance
to several European Universities to inquire about the subject, but to no
avail.  As one said (I can't recall the name offhand, and I can't access my
database without screwing up the e-mail) "Ferrets have been here for
centuries.  If they were a problem, don't you think we would know?  You
Americans are always making something out of nothing."
 
I have come out strongly on the FML and stated the ferret, as raised in the
US, cannot become feral.  The key part of the phrase is, as raised in the
US.  Honestly, can ferrets become feral?  Some of you will not like to hear
this, but the answer is yes.  If they are raised on animals as food, and
taught to hunt, they can survive in a wild state; that is, become feral.
HOWEVER, remember the US part?  The vast majority of ferrets in the US are
fed convienance food--that is manufactured foods approximating the nutrients
needed by the little guys.  Since ferrets are smell-hunters and imprint on
odors, by the time many of them are sold, they have imprinted on pellets
rather than animals.  If they later escape, they still might kill a mouse if
they stumbled over one, but it is very unlikely they would know that it is
food.  SImply put, they would die of starvation, exposure or disease within
a few days to a week.
 
As for weather, they are pretty tough when it comes to moderate cold.  A
British friend keeps her sofa sharks outside.  Her last photo package shows
about half a foot of snow on the ground and an albino about the size of a
dog jumping at her leg.  While I do not advocate nor recommend nor suggest
nor even like the idea of keeping the beasties outside, it is possible so
long as they have a warm nestbox and adequate calories.  What really nails
them is hot weather.  Their size and high metabolism allows them to overheat
very rapidly.  While they are not totally devoid of sweat glands, they are
few, and the little guys have to pant in order to loose heat.  Most
carnivores are like this--even dogs have to pant, but because they are so
much larger and with slower metabolisms, they regulate heat much better.  I
have taken my fuzzies into the desert many times, but dehydration is a
serious problem and they have to be kept cool.  Do I think they could
survive there?  Not a chance in hell.
 
McKay's book, while generally very good, illustrates a common problem in
ferretland; that is anecdotal evidence taking on scientific stature.  Case
in point.  Many people have stated that domestic ferrets have been
domesticated longer than cats.  True?  Not likely.  The story seems to stem
from Chuck and Fox Morton's book on ferrets, where they suggest 3000 BC as
the beginning.  After speaking with Fox Morton (a VERY VERY nice lady) it
was admitted that the "evidence" was anecdotal; an opinion based on viewing
a heiroglyphic.  McKay has done the same thing, reporting the opinions of
others in a situation where evidence should be reported.  Still, it is
understandable.
 
A common occurance is for biologists to report all "sightings" when writing
reports.  This was done by biologists who were cited by Hoffmeister (Mammals
of Arizona) when he reported three sightings of feral ferrets in Arizona.
Where they escapees, where they feral, who saw them, where they actually
ferrets?  It doesn't matter when you are just reporting sightings.  The
scientist just wants to get the information out for future use should it be
needed.  Unfortunately, people like Constantine and Kizer pervert an
unsubstantiated "sighting" into "feral colonies," and other people, like
McKay, print it as fact.
 
Another problem is the old advertising trick of taking a statement out of
context.  I might have written: "Jones reported seeing grizzleys in NYC.  I
have discovered his sightings took place while drinking copious amounts of
five-day-old squeezin's, and he thought the bears were neon purple." Someone
else might have quoted me as "Bob reports Jones saw grizzleys in NYC.  Feral
bears are a serious problem; a danger to children, to wildlife, and to
livestock!" While they are nt misquoting me, they are also not being honest.
This is more common than you think, and if you didn't check the
primary/original source, you would never know.  I think that's the mistake
McKay made.
 
As for me, I don't trust anything I can't find a source for, or where the
data is from unpublished references.  McKay's statement fits both of those
categories.  So McKay is wrong, ferrets CAN become feret under the right
conditions, and NO, ferrets in the USA, as they are normally kept, cannot
form feral colonies.
 
Bob and the wild 13
[Posted in FML issue 1440]