What is a black footed ferrets lifespan?

Answer 1

The Black-footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) is a small carnivorous North American mammal closely related to the Steppe Polecat of Russia, and a member of the diverse family Mustelidae which also includes weasels, mink, polecats, martens, otters, and badgers. It should not be confused with the domestic ferret. Black-footed Ferrets are about 45 cm long (18-24 inches long including the tail), with a furry 15-cm (6 in) tail, and they weigh roughly 1 kg (about 2 lbs) with males slightly larger than females. Like most members of the family, they are very low to the ground with an elongated body and very short legs. Their fur is white at the base but darkens at the tips, making them appear yellowish-brown overall, with black feet and tail-tip, and a distinctive black face mask. These blend in well with the prairie ecosystem in which they live. (from wikipedia). The ferret's large ears and eyes suggest it has acute hearing and sight, but smell is probably its most important sense for hunting prey underground in the dark. Life expectancy for a black-footed ferret in the wild is probably less than 5 years. The Black-footed Ferret is an endangered mammal in North America, according to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). They became extirpated in the wild in Canada in 1937, and were classified as endangered in the U.S. in 1967. The last known wild population was taken into captivity in the mid-1980s, a few years after its accidental discovery in Wyoming. Release of captive animals has successfully re-introduced the species to parts of its former habitat, and currently these populations have made what has been called an "astonishing comeback".

Answer 2

Black-footed ferrets lead solitary lives except during breeding season which is the only time the male and female are together. Both male and female ferrets become sexually mature at one year of age. Breeding activity occurs March to May. After a gestation period of 41 to 45 days the black footed ferret will have a litter of three to four kits, although single kits and litters of 9 and 10 have been documented.

Baby ferrets are born in the spring, and will stay below ground in prairie dog burrows until they are about 3 months old. The female nurses and cares for the young, the male has no role in raising the kits. The young kits are born blind, deaf and helpless and covered with a fine white fur. The kits develop their markings at about three weeks old and open their eyes about a month old. After they stop nursing, they still depend on their mother for meals. Young ferrets rarely appear above ground during daylight hours until after mid-August, then they are often seen out during the early morning, playing, and following their mother. At about 3 months of age, the ferrets are almost grown and will venture above ground and begin to explore the area around the burrow. By late summer, the female leaves her kits in separate burrows during the day and begins to take her young on hunting forays together at night. The kits stay with their mother until the fall and will begin to hunt alone. Around September, the young ferrets are usually independent and solitary and will disperse to their own territories, which leaves them exposed to the greatest dangers. Females usually stay close to their mother's burrow, while males travel great distances to establish their own territories. Juvenile males suffer high mortality, a result of their dispersing to new areas. Black footed ferrets do not hibernate and during late fall, winter, and spring they are usually found singly. The black footed ferrets lifespan is from about three to five years the wild, and up to 8 years in captivity.

Answer 3

The black footed ferrets lives about 3 years in the wild, and up to 8 years in captivity.

Answer 4

The black footed ferrets lives about 3 years in the wild, and up to 8 years in captivity