Well, I think I have officially joined the fray regarding ferrets in CA.
I'm on another mailing list for wildlife rehabilitation, and someone had
asked a question about the "ethics" of rehabbing and releasing non-native
wildlife.  And, some poor, misguided soul from CA wrote back stating that
non-native wildlife were negatively affecting native wildlife - non-native
wildlife including FERRETS!  And this guy is a REHABBER!  Someone asked
about his criteria for determining non-nativeness, and he replied that the
(guess who??) CA Fish and Game determined this by "damage already done by
the species in question".  I wrote back and gave him a mini-lesson on the
chances of wild ferrets really existing (thank you, Bob), nicely, of course.
I also asked him for any references and documentation he had on the subject.
I have a sneaking suspicion he won't answer, since he probably doesn't have
any, or someone he knows in CA F&G "told him", or some other ironclad,
irrefutable source.  But if he doesn't have any (credible) sources, then he
made a serious tactical error in posting that. :)  I just cannot abide
stupidity and ignorance - especially when people cling so tightly to them.
 
OK, I feel better now.  Soapbox mode completed.
 
Tanya
 
p.s.  I'll keep you posted.
[Posted in FML issue 1780]