Illustration of black-footed ferret
black-footed ferret
noun
: a rare weasel (Mustela nigripes) of western North American prairies having a yellowish coat, dark feet and facial mask, and a dark-tipped tail
Examples of black-footed ferret in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Those species include our own California condor, our black-footed ferret, and our Guam rail, as well as the Arabian oryx, the Przewalski’s horse, and the Père David’s deer.
—
Jared Diamond, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
In the early 1900s, black-footed ferrets burrowed throughout the American West, according to Pete Gober, the Fish and Wildlife Service's national black-footed ferret recovery coordinator.
—Sabrina Imbler New York Times, Star Tribune, 18 Feb. 2021
Meanwhile, a seemingly apolitical project at the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, to study the impacts of the virus on the endangered black-footed ferret was shuttered last month.
—Eve Sneider, Wired, 9 Oct. 2020
Just 200 black-footed ferrets, more than half of the world’s remaining population, are left in Conata Basin and the surrounding Badlands National Park.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 15 June 2023
Once extinct in North America, black-footed ferrets have made a comeback because of breeding programs like the one the zoo runs.
—Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post, 18 June 2023
Reintroduction began in Arizona in 1996 after a 60-year hiatus and around 350 black-footed ferrets remain in the wild as of 2022.
—Jake Frederico, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2023
But although human vaccines function primarily as preventives, offering immunity to animals such as black-footed ferrets can be a conservation strategy of last resort.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 15 June 2023
Ceballos developed successful conservation strategies for endangered mammals in North America, including the black-footed ferret.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Mar. 2023
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Jared Diamond, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
In the early 1900s, black-footed ferrets burrowed throughout the American West, according to Pete Gober, the Fish and Wildlife Service's national black-footed ferret recovery coordinator.
—Sabrina Imbler New York Times, Star Tribune, 18 Feb. 2021
Meanwhile, a seemingly apolitical project at the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, to study the impacts of the virus on the endangered black-footed ferret was shuttered last month.
—Eve Sneider, Wired, 9 Oct. 2020
Just 200 black-footed ferrets, more than half of the world’s remaining population, are left in Conata Basin and the surrounding Badlands National Park.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 15 June 2023
Once extinct in North America, black-footed ferrets have made a comeback because of breeding programs like the one the zoo runs.
—Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post, 18 June 2023
Reintroduction began in Arizona in 1996 after a 60-year hiatus and around 350 black-footed ferrets remain in the wild as of 2022.
—Jake Frederico, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2023
But although human vaccines function primarily as preventives, offering immunity to animals such as black-footed ferrets can be a conservation strategy of last resort.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 15 June 2023
Ceballos developed successful conservation strategies for endangered mammals in North America, including the black-footed ferret.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'black-footed ferret.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1846, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of black-footed ferret was
in 1846
Dictionary Entries Near black-footed ferret
Cite this Entry
“Black-footed ferret.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black-footed%20ferret. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
black-footed ferret
noun
black-foot·ed ferret
ˈblak-ˌfu̇t-əd-
: an endangered weasel of western North American prairies having a yellowish coat, black feet and face markings, and a black-tipped tail
More from Merriam-Webster on black-footed ferret
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about black-footed ferret
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