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The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) occupied area lies in the western Big Horn Basin, Park County, Wyoming. Cody, a nearby town, shows a record high temperature of 40.5 C and a low of -43.3 C, with 173 days each year below 0 C. Area geology is dominated by Absaroka volcanics. Soils are shallow (0.5 m) and underlain by unconsolidated gravels; well-drained, medium-textured clay-loams (ca 1 m in depth); or clays derived from shale parent materials. Vegetation is characterized by a wheatgrass-needlegrass shrubsteppe type (Agropyron/Stipa/Artemisia). Prior to white settlement, the area hosted a diverse large mammal community. First white settlements began 1878-1885, with establishment of several area ranches....
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A model based on calculations of metabolizable energy requirements estimated the annual prey requirements for 1 reproductive female black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) and her young. Both whitetailed and black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys leucurus and C. ludovicianus) were considered as prey. Gestation, lactation, and ferret pup growth were modeled. A general regression of mustelid prey biomass requirements helped verify metabolizable energy calculations. Populations of between 474 and 1,421 blacktailed prairie dogs and between 412 and 1,236 white-tailed prairie dogs are predicted as necessary to sustain the annual predation by the female and young ferrets. Minimum ferret densities expected to occur and sizes...
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