Q:"In..."Ferrets" (May/June 1999) there is a comment that confuses me.  On
page 48 is says "Sarcoptic mites: These mites are most common in feral
ferrets in Europe..." Feral ferrets in Europe?....I know there are none in
the US but are there feral ferrets in other parts of the world?"
 
A: What?  There are places in the world besides the USA that has ferrets?
Really?  Do they have computers?  You have to have a computer to own a
ferret, right?  And have strange opinions?
 
Here are a few definitions.  "Feral" is a domesticated animal that has
reverted to the wild, no longer under human selection (breeding control)
and now subject to natural selection, like the feral horses in the USA
Southwest.  "Introduced" means a wild (or nondomesticated) animal is living
in an area it is not naturally found, like starlings or black rats living
in the USA.  "Naturalized" means an animal has adapted to the local
environment and has become permanently established, regardless if it was
originally domesticated or wild.  So, feral horses and introduced starlings
and black rats are now naturalized in areas of the USA.  A "feral
population" is a breeding group of feral animals that may or may not be
capable of naturalization.
 
During the last 4 years, I have made a strong effort to collect absolutely
anything concerning feral ferrets so I might be able to see exactly how
factual they are, the conditions which made the feral populations go
extinct, and theose circumstances which made the feral population
naturalize.  Here is a very limited abstract of my findings.
 
British Isles (Eurasia): Polecat-ferrets (hybrids) have been reported in
the islands of Mull, the Outer Hebrides, Arran, and Bute, all off Scotland.
Polecat-ferrets are also reported on the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea,
and the Isle of Anglesey off Wales.  Renfrewshire and parts of Yorkshire
reportedly have polecat-ferrets.  I can find no reports of pure blooded
feral ferret populations, just hybrids.  There is some confusion in the
literature between a sable ferret, a polecat, and a polecat-ferret hybrid,
so it is difficult to say exactly *WHAT* is living where.
 
Sicily and Sardinia (Eurasia): Feral ferrets are reported on both islands,
but all modern reports tend to cite the same author (Roots) who provides
absolutely NO data or reference to support his claim.  I am still
attempting to confirm their presence.
 
Europe (Eurasia): Feral ferrets are reported in or near several cities,
much like feral cats and dogs, but reliable published data is lacking.
 
Russia (Eurasia): A Russian author reports feral ferrets are sometimes
found near cities, but not in large numbers.
 
San Juan Islands (North America): Ferrets were released and survived for
several years but died out when the domesticated rabbit population fell.
The State of Washington now says the feral ferrets are extinct.  The
rabbits are not.
 
Ohio (North America): During the late 1800s to early 1900s, ferret were
extensively bred for use as ratters and exported all over the USA.  The
program crashed in the 1920s with the introduction of rodenticides, and
thousands of ferrets were reported to be turned out by breeders.  For
some time, ferrts were reported to be feral in portions of Ohio, but all
populations died out.
 
Arizona (North America): Two feral ferrets were reported SIGHTED (not
collected) in the northern portions of Arizona in Hoffmeister's book, the
Mammals of Arizona (oft cited by the CaCaFishing Gestapo).  I completely
disregard these sightings because they are unconfirmed and are probably
brindled long-tailed weasels.  Hoffmeister should have known better.
 
West Indies (Caribbean): Ferrets were released to control rats, but died
out very quickly because they could not adapt to insect pests (chiggers).
Mongeese were then released and formed large populations which still exist
on many islands.
 
Hawaii (Pacific): A single source claims ferrets were released, but did
not form feral populations.  Mongeese were released and formed large
populations which still exist.
 
Australia (Australasia): Ferrets were released to control rabbits in a
naturalization program similar to that in New Zealand (but perhaps not as
extensive), but failed and did not form feral populations.
 
New Zealand (Australasia): A large colony of naturalized feral ferrets
exist on both the North and South Islands.  They are the descendants of a
large-scale ferret release program conducted at the beginning of the
century, as well as ferret (fitch) farm escapees and turnouts.  These are
naturalized feral ferrets, perhaps the only clear example in the world.
 
If you paid attention, you can see a few trends.  First, ferrets do not
actually form feral populations very well.  In most cases, even when
purposely released, ferrets die out.  Second, in most reports from Britain,
Europe and Russia, there is no distinction between a lost, strayed or feral
animal, and NO studies have been done which would distinguish between these
categories.  In other words, a local naturalist sees a ferret and assumes
they are feral without testing to see if they are strays, lost hunting
animals or actually feral animals.  The naturalist reports seeing "feral
ferrets," and the report is cited over and over by other authors.  The end
result is that "biofolklore" is created, where a single bad source of data
takes on credibility because of the number of citations.  [MORE IN PART
TWO]
 
Bob C and 16 Mo' Butts of Fur (Missing the three)
[Posted in FML issue 2727]