10/6/95 First of all, I have to thank all of you that have called, faxed & written to the various people and agencies on behalf of the Black Footed Ferrets. We have saved many lives, and have make a difference in how these precious little ones are being treated now and in the future! I have recently spoken to Bruce Beskin, Badlands National Park, Chief of resource Mgt. (voice: 605-433-5361, fax: 605-433-5404; also <[log in to unmask]>), and he said there is going to be two releases of Black Footed Ferrets the third week of October. No one will be less than 180 days old, the age at which they go off on their own when living in the wild, and no seniors this time. He has a mailing list you can request to be added to for continuing information. I will be posting summaries until our web page gets on-line (see below). He said they all came from the Wyoming site, having previously been consolidated to there. They all are supposed to be pre-conditioned, this is to say having experience with prarie dogs out of doors. Representatives of The Society for the Protection and Conservation of the Black Footed Ferret (SPCBFF) have been invited to participate in the restructuring of the Black Footed Ferret recovery program, also referred to as the captive breeding program, in a series of meetings sponsored by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. This analysis and action planning process consists of two groups of meetings, one in mid October, and the second group in late November. Recommendations coming out of these meetings will be presented to a group of impartial scientists to develop a new plan which it is hoped will get the Black Footed Ferret recovery program on a successful track. Attendance is very limited and by invitation only. A plan is already under way for a "soft release" in Arizona. A soft release involves temporary predator control while the ferrets adapt to the site. In this case, we're talking about an electrified fence which will keep predators out, however, ferrets may also exit at their own risk. A tentative captive breeding and pre-release conditioning project is in the works as a cooperative effort between the National Biological Service and a private corporation, and will take place in Mexico due to the fact that large prarie dog towns are available there. A Black Footed Ferret home page is in the process of being set up which will function as a central source of continuing information on the progress of the captive breeding program, and the SPCBFF. We will keep you posted on it's progress and location. Free memberships are still being accepted to the SPCBFF. Simply send your request and a self addressed stamped envelope to the address below. The durable plastic membership cards are in the process of being produced, and will be shipped as soon as available to all of you that have already requested membership. Again thank you for your continuing interest in protecting and re-establishing this most endangered mammal on the North American Continent! They are certainly a most worthy though distant cousin of our own furry little children. Respectfully, Gary Holowicki, on behalf of : SPCBFF 140 W. 29th. Street Pueblo, Colorado, 81008-1016 719-391-2627 Violence is not strength, Compassion is not weakness. From Camelot. [Posted in FML issue 1339]