He does not have one of his own, but ferrets are the principal part of Travis Livieris life. * My ferrets (the black-footed kind) live in prairie dog colonies about 15 miles south of where I live in South Dakota. My life is mostly consumed by ferrets,* says the executive director of Prairie Wildlife Research. The son of a retired firefighter and secretary, Livieri also has a sister and brother. Growing up in Milwaukee, he *gained a love for wildlife/animals as a child by spending time in the forests of northern Wisconsin.* After obtaining a degree in wildlife biology, Livieri took a temporary job as a technician on the black-footed ferret recovery project. That was 10 years ago. We have such fun with our little weasels that it is hard to imagine anything better. Newborn kits are such a thrill as they grow and play. So, what does the non-ferret owner have that could possibly compete? *I work with the endangered black-footed ferret, North America's only native ferret species,* Livieri says. *I have many memorable black-footed ferret experiences but my favorite was finding the first litter of wild-born kits in 1995. It was a special moment for me and also for black-footed ferret recovery. The re-introduction program began in 1994; Mike (a colleague) and I found the first litter of kits in SD in the summer; I have watched this population grow to a self-sustaining group.* That group now numbers about 70 litters a year, with each litter consisting of about 3. Only 11 US states and Mexico have prairie dogs, a requirement for the black-footed ferret. A single ferret will eat about 125 prairie dogs a year, or one every three days. While they cannot be used to control the prairie dog population, black-footed ferrets are their natural enemy. So, what does Livieri do when hes not traveling these 11 states? He likes to *hike, hunt, fish and watch the Green Bay Packers.* And, his ideal day would be *to go fishing with Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre. He seems like a real down-to-earth guy who has always worked hard to achieve his dreams. He doesn't take himself too seriously, is loyal to his teammates and strives to be the best. On Sundays I sit in my easy chair and watch football, particularly the Green Bay Packers.* Livieri also reads, his favorite book is *The Fountainhead* by Ayn Rand and enjoys listening to music, particulary hard/classic rock (Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, etc.). Livieri would you like to be remembered *As a hard worker who contributed to the recovery of black-footed ferrets.* I think that one is a safe bet. Come learn more about the black-footed ferret on May 1 at the St. Louis Symposium. If you have a large parcel of land in a state where prairie dogs are found and would like to help in the stabilization of the black-footed ferret, Travis can be contacted at: Prairie Wildlife Research P.O. Box 515 Wall, SD 57790 (605) 279-2380 http://www.prairiewildlife.org [log in to unmask] Meet Me in St. Louis! April 29 - May 1, 2005 International Ferret Congress http://www.ferretcongress.org [Posted in FML issue 4853]