October 9, 2007
Black-footed Ferret Spotlighting In October 07
Master Naturalists sought for ferret spotlighting!
In the continuing effort to monitor the progress of the black-footed ferret reintroduction project, the Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking volunteers to participate in spotlighting, a technique used to find the nocturnal animals.
"Volunteers have always played a critical role in the recovery effort," said Carrie King, supervisor of the reintroduction effort. "These spotlighting efforts help Game and Fish determine how the population is doing."
The fall spotlighting effort will be held the nights of Oct. 24-27 ending on the morning of 28 Oct., at the reintroduction site in Aubrey Valley, just outside Seligman.
During a similar effort last spring, 35 ferrets were captured and processed. Of these, 34 were wild born, showing that reproduction in the wild remains high. One of the animals was a recapture from 2003, displaying longevity in the wild.
The effort is a rewarding, but challenging adventure. Volunteers must be able to stay attentive
from sunset to sunrise, carry up to 30 pounds while backpack spotlighting for two-hour durations, and be willing to learn how to use a Global Positioning System (GPS).
Individuals can volunteer for one day or multiple dates. A parent or guardian must accompany any youth under the age of 18.
Those wishing to volunteer or needing more information should e-mail azferret@azgfd.gov by Sept. 15 with "October Spotlighting" in the subject line. Please indicate what night(s) you will be attending and who else (first and last name) will be attending with you. Also, please list any of the following equipment you can bring: GPS, clipboard, backpack (to carry a 30-pound battery), headlamp, pen, compass, binoculars, walkie-talkies, 4x4 vehicle (please list passenger capacity), compass, spotlight (that can plug into a cigarette lighter), or a cordless rechargeable spotlight.
It can be cool (read: freezing) during the last October event, so individuals should monitor weather conditions and dress accordingly.
A mere 18 black-footed ferrets remained when captive breeding efforts began in 1985. Selected as a reintroduction site in 1996, Arizona has established a record number of sightings in each of the last six years.
"We're making progress, but we're a long way from recovery," King explained. "We wouldn't be able to monitor the ferret population without the volunteers."