The Endangered Black-footed Ferret: Up Close and Personal

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An endangered black-footed ferret, Mustela nigripes, steals a CNN microphone cover. This is an animal that can move as fast backwards as forwards, or so it appears. Short, but incredibly cute footage of this lovely species. [0:46]

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Cute, yes. But I can't help but be disturbed by the barren cage they are keeping that intelligent animal in.

I hope it just a temporary holding pen. Or that they provide plenty of stimulus in other ways. Otherwise, it is animal abuse in my book.

http://www.blackfootedferret.org/
This organization is devoted to the recovery of the black footed ferret in the wild.
An excellent organization and worthy of a few bucks if you can spare them.

By G in INdiana (not verified) on 26 Feb 2008 #permalink

Very cute -- I like the way the foreshortening shows off the ferret's "stretchyness". Is this the same species found as "pet" ferrets? The latter are certainly fun pets!

By David Harmon (not verified) on 26 Feb 2008 #permalink

pet ferrets are a different species, Mustela putorius furo, which were domesticated in Europe. they were probably domesticated as early as 1500 BC and are possibly a hybrid between two species of polecats.