New black-footed ferret breeding center dedicated at the Phoenix Zoo

The dedication of the recently completed black-footed ferret breeding center on Thursday, November 18, 2010 at the Phoenix Zoo represents the commitment to conservation and tireless efforts of many community partners.

Phoenix Zoo President and CEO Bert Castro noted that, although the zoo had to temporarily decommission its ferret breeding efforts in 2008 when the orangutan exhibit encroached on the original building, he was happy to see the old building demolished in December 2009. Castro said it was an “outdated, inadequate facility that did not represent the world class vision for the Phoenix Zoo and the zoo’s commitment to the conservation of the black-footed ferret.”

After 14 months of planning, design and construction, the new facility is a reality, thanks to the approval of a grant from the Arthur L. “Bud” and Elaine V. Johnson Foundation, which fully funded construction of the facility. David Hammerlag, Trustee for the Foundation, stated that it was an easy decision to fund this project, noting that the Phoenix Zoo is “taking the lead in North American conservation,” and that the Phoenix Zoo “can and does have a global impact.”

Pete Gober from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said that the black-footed ferret breeding project has been proof that “recovery of a species can work,” and that by working to protect the habitat in the wild of this species, many native species are benefitting. He noted that there is “no end to the good people have done” as part of the partnerships related to this project.

The emphasis at the celebration was on the success of the program being a result of  partnerships. Representatives of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Johnson Foundation were present. Besides these agencies, everyone emphasized that the project would not be successful without the cooperation of other partners, including the Navaho Nation, Hualapai Nation, private land owners, the Arizona State Land Department, the Heritage Fund, the Cholla Cattle Company and public support.

Bill Van Pelt has been working for the Arizona Game and Fish Department since 1991, before the ferrets had even been reintroduced to the wild. Van Pelt emphasized that the black-footed ferret has been close to extinction several times, and in fact were thought to be extinct in the wild in the 1970s. “This animal demonstrates a desire to continue. We just need to give them a chance, give them space, and give them time.” Thus, the ferrets themselves are major partners in their own recovery, proving over and over their tenacity and will to live.  

And the recovery efforts are working—this fall’s survey count, conducted by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, resulted in a record number of 96 ferrets in the Aubrey Valley population outside of Seligman, Arizona. The most exciting aspect of the survey is the news that the ferrets are reproducing in the wild, an indication that not only are the ferrets themselves healthy, but so is the population of prairie dogs they depend on for food.