Fascinating Black-Footed Ferret Facts

Fascinating Black-Footed Ferret Facts Black-footed ferrets are easily recognized by their distinctive masked faces and resemblance to pet ferrets. Native to North America, the black-footed ferret is a rare example of an animal that went extinct in the wild, but survived in captivity and was ultimately released again. Fast Facts: Black-Footed Ferret Scientific Name: Mustela nigripesCommon Names: Black-footed ferret, American polecat, prairie dog hunterBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 20 inch body; 4-5 inch tailWeight: 1.4-3.1 poundsLifespan: 1 yearDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Central North AmericaPopulation: 200Conservation Status: Endangered (formerly extinct in the wild) Description Black-footed ferrets resemble domestic ferrets as well as wild polecats and weasels. The slender animal has buff or tan fur, with black feet, tail tip, nose, and face mask. It has triangular ears, few whiskers, a short muzzle, and sharp claws. Its body ranges from 50 to 53 cm (19 to 21 in), with a 11 to 13 cm (4.5 to 5.0 in) tail, and its weight ranges from 650 to 1,400 g (1.4 to 3.1 lb). Males are about 10 percent larger than females. Habitat and Distribution Historically, the black-footed ferret roamed across the prairies and steppes of central North America, from Texas to Alberta and Saskatchewan. Their range correlated with that of prairie dogs, since ferrets eat the rodents and use their burrows. After their extinction in the wild, captive-bred black-footed ferrets were reintroduced across the range. As of 2007, the only surviving wild population is in the Big Horn Basin near Meeteetse, Wyoming. Diet Around 90 percent of the black-footed ferrets diet consists of prairie dogs (genus  Cynomys), but in regions where prairie dogs hibernate for winter, ferrets will eat mice, voles, ground squirrels, rabbits, and birds. Black-footed ferrets get water by consuming their prey. Ferrets are preyed upon by eagles, owls, hawks, rattlesnakes, coyotes, badgers, and bobcats. Black-footed ferrets eat prairie dogs. USFWS Mountain-Prairie Behavior Except when mating or raising young, black-footed ferrets are solitary, nocturnal hunters. Ferrets use prairie dog burrows to sleep, catch their food, and raise their young. Black-footed ferrets are vocal animals. A loud chatter indicates alarm, a hiss shows fear, a females whimper calls her young, and a males chortle signals courtship. Like domestic ferrets, they perform the weasel war dance, consisting of a series of hops, often accompanied by a clucking sound (dooking), arched back, and frizzed tail. In the wild, the ferrets may perform the dance to disorient prey as well as to indicate enjoyment. The weasel war dance or dooking may be associated with hunting or with play. Tara Gregg / EyeEm / Getty Images Reproduction and Offspring Black-footed ferrets mate in February and March. Gestation lasts 42 to 45 days, resulting in the birth of one to five kits in May and June. The kits are born in prairie dog burrows and dont emerge until they are six weeks old. Initially, the kits are blind and have sparse white fur. Their eyes open at 35 days of age and dark markings appear at three weeks of age. When they are a few months old, the kits move to new burrows. Ferrets are sexually mature at one year of age, but reach peak reproductive maturity at age 3 or 4. Unfortunately, wild black-footed ferrets typically only live one year, although they can reach 5 years of age in the wild and 8 years of age in captivity. Conservation Status The black-footed ferret is an endangered species. It was extinct in the wild in 1996, but downgraded to endangered in 2008 thanks to a captive breeding and release program. Initially, the species was threatened by the fur trade, but it went extinct when prairie dog populations declined due to pest control measures and conversion of habitat to cropland. Sylvatic plague, canine distemper, and inbreeding finished off the last of the wild ferrets. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service artificially inseminated captive females, bred ferrets in zoos, and released them in the wild. The black-footed ferret is considered a conservation success story, but the animal faces an uncertain future. Scientists estimate only about 1,200 wild black-footed ferrets (200 mature adults) remained in 2013. Most reintroduced ferrets died from ongoing prairie dog poisoning programs or from disease. While not hunted today, ferrets still die from traps set for coyotes and mink. Humans pose a risk by killing prairie dogs directly or by collapsing burrows from petroleum industry activities. Power lines lead to prairie dog and ferret deaths, as raptors perch on them for easy hunting. At present, the average lifespan of a wild ferret is about the same as its breeding age, plus juvenile mortality is very high for those animals that do manage to reproduce. Black-Footed Ferret vs. Pet Ferret Although some domestic ferrets resemble black-footed ferrets, the two belong to separate species. Pet ferrets are descendants of the European ferret, Mustela putorius. While black-footed ferrets are always tan, with black masks, feet, tail tips, and noses, domestic ferrets come in a wide variety of colors and usually have a pink nose. Domestication has produced other changes in pet ferrets. While black-footed ferrets are solitary, nocturnal animals, domestic ferrets will socialize with each other and adjust to human schedules. Domestic ferrets have lost the instincts needed to hunt and build colonies in the wild, so they can only live in captivity. Sources Feldhamer, George A.; Thompson, Bruce Carlyle; Chapman, Joseph A. Wild mammals of North America: biology, management, and conservation. JHU Press, 2003. ISBN 0-8018-7416-5.Hillman, Conrad N. and Tim W. Clark. Mustela nigripes. Mammalian Species. 126 (126): 1–3, 1980. doi:10.2307/3503892McLendon, Russell. Rare U.S. ferret marks 30-year comeback. Mother Nature Network, September 30, 2011.Owen, Pamela R. and Christopher J. Bell. Fossils, diet, and conservation of black-footed ferrets Mustela nigripes.  Journal of Mammalogy.  81  (2): 422, 2000.Stromberg, Mark R.; Rayburn, R. Lee; Clark, Tim W.. Black-footed ferret prey requirements: an energy balance estimate. Journal of Wildlife Management. 47 (1): 67–73, 1983. doi:10.2307/3808053

Plot Summary of Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House

Plot Summary of Henrik Ibsen's 'A Doll's House' Written in 1879 by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, A Dolls House is a three-act play about a seemingly typical housewife who becomes disillusioned and dissatisfied with her condescending husband. Act One: Meet the Helmers Set around Christmas time, Nora Helmer enters her home, truly enjoying life. An old widow friend from her past, Mrs. Linde, stops by hoping to find a job. Noras husband Torvald recently earned a promotion, so she happily finds employment for Mrs. Linde. When her friend complains how hard the years have been, Nora replies that her life has been filled with challenges too. Nora discreetly explains that several years ago, when Torvald Helmer was very ill, she forged her dead fathers signature in order to illegally obtain a loan. Since then, she has been paying back the loan in secret. She has never told her husband because she knows it would upset him. Unfortunately, a bitter bank employee named Nils Krogstad is the man who collects the debt payments. Knowing that Torvald is soon to be promoted, he tries using his knowledge of her forgery to blackmail Nora. He wants to ensure his position at the bank; otherwise, he will reveal the truth to Torvald and perhaps even the police. This turn of events greatly upsets Nora. However, she keeps the truth concealed from her husband, as well as Dr. Rank, a kind yet sickly old friend of the Helmers. She tries to distract herself by playing with her three children. However, by the ending of Act One, she begins to feel trapped and desperate. Act Two: Nora Tries to Keep Her Secret Throughout the second act, Nora tries to concoct ways to prevent Krogstad from revealing the truth. She has tried to coerce her husband, asking him to let Krogstad keep his job. However, Helmer believes the man possesses criminal tendencies. Therefore, he is bent on removing Krogstad from his post. Nora tries asking Dr. Rank for help, but she is put off when Dr. Rank becomes too flirtatious with her and claims that he cares for her just as much, if not more, than her husband. Later, the Helmers prepare for a holiday ball. Torvald watches Nora perform a traditional folk dance. He is disappointed that she has forgotten much of what he has taught her. Here, the audience witnesses one of the many scenes in which Torvald patronizes his wife as though she were a child or his play-thing. (Hence, Ibsen titled the play: A Dolls House). Torvald constantly calls her pet names such as my songbird and my little squirrel. Yet, he never speaks to her with any degree of mutual respect. Eventually, Mrs. Linde tells Nora that she had a romantic attachment to Krogstad in the past and that she can perhaps persuade him to relent. However, Krogstad does not sway in his position. By the end of Act Two, it seems that Torvald is bound to discover the truth. Nora is ashamed of this possibility. She contemplates jumping into an icy river. She believes that if she does not commit suicide, Torvald will bravely assume responsibility for her crimes. She believes that he would go to jail instead of her. Therefore, she wants to sacrifice herself for his benefit. Act Three: Nora and Torvald'sBig Transformation Mrs. Linde and Krogstad meet for the first time in years. At first, Krogstad is bitter towards her, but she soon rekindles their romantic interest toward one another. Krogstad even has a change of heart and considers tearing up Noras IOU. However, Mrs. Linde believes it would be best if Torvald and Nora finally confront the truth. After returning from the party, Nora and Torvald unwind at home. Torvald discusses how he enjoys watching her at parties, pretending that he is encountering her for the first time. Dr. Rank knocks on the door, interrupting the conversation. He says goodbye to them, hinting that he will be shutting himself up in his room until his sickness finally wins. After Dr. Ranks departure, Torvald discovers Krogstads incriminating note. When he realizes the criminal act that Nora has committed, Torvald becomes enraged. He fumes about how Krogstad can now make any demand he wishes. He declares that Nora is immoral, unfit as a wife and mother. Even worse, Torvald says that he will continue to be married to her in name alone. He wants to have no romantic connection to her whatsoever. The irony of this scene is that moments before, Torvald was discussing how he wished that Nora faced some sort of peril, so that he could prove his love for her. Yet, once that peril is actually presented, he has no intention of saving her, only condemning her actions. Moments after Torvald raves like a madman, Krogstad drops another note saying that he has rediscovered love and that he no longer wants to blackmail the Helmer family. Torvald rejoices, declaring that they are saved. He then, in a moment of sheer hypocrisy, states that he forgives Nora and that he still loves her as his little caged songbird. This is a startling wake-up call for Nora Helmer. In a flash, she realizes that Torvald is not the loving, selfless husband she had once envisioned. With that epiphany, she also comes to understand that their marriage has been a lie and that she herself has been an active part in the deception. She then decides to leave her husband and her children in order to find out who she truly is. Torvald desperately begs her to stay. He claims that he will change. She says that perhaps if a miracle of miracles happens they might one day become suitable companions. However, when she leaves, slamming the door behind her, Torvald is left with very little hope.