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NGSS: Core Idea: LS1.B, LS3.A, LS2.A

CCSS: Reading Informational Text: 3.

TEKS: Science: 3.12B, 4.12B, 5.12B, 6.12B; ELA: 3.10C, 4.10C, 5.10C, 6.9C

A Ferret Hero?

How this special animal and others like her could help save their species

May/June 2023

By Kathryn Free

As you read, think about how an animal species might depend on another species for survival.

With her long body, stubby legs, and brown and white markings, Elizabeth Ann looks like any other black-footed ferret. But she has a secret identity that makes her special: She’s a clone!

A clone is an exact copy of a plant or an animal, similar to an identical twin. Animals that are clones have the exact same DNA. This material determines an organism’s inherited traits, the characteristics that it receives from its parents. DNA is found inside cells, the microscopic units that make up all living things.

Elizabeth Ann is the first clone of an endangered animal native to North America. She has the exact same DNA as a black-footed ferret that died about 30 years ago named Willa. To clone Willa, scientists collected her DNA and combined it with cells from a domestic ferret (see How to Clone a Ferret). Another domestic ferret gave birth to Elizabeth Ann on December 10, 2020.

Scientists bred Elizabeth Ann for an important reason. Wild black-footed ferrets are in danger of dying out. Scientists hoped that if Elizabeth Ann could have healthy offspring, she might be able to help save her species.

Elizabeth Ann looks like any other black-footed ferret. She has a long body and short legs. She’s covered in brown and white markings. But she’s special. She’s a clone!

A clone is an exact copy of a plant or an animal. It’s similar to an identical twin. Animals that are clones have the same DNA. This material controls a creature’s inherited traits. Inherited traits are the features a living thing gets from its parents. DNA is found inside cells. They’re the smallest units of all living things.

Elizabeth Ann is the first clone of an endangered North America animal. She has the exact same DNA as another black-footed ferret. Her name was Willa. She died about 30 years ago. Scientists collected her DNA. They added it to cells from a domestic ferret (see How to Clone a Ferret). Another domestic ferret gave birth to Elizabeth Ann on December 10, 2020.

Scientists bred Elizabeth Ann for an important reason. Wild black-footed ferrets are in danger of dying out. Scientists hoped Elizabeth Ann would have babies. Then she could help save her species.

Ferret Homeland

Black-footed ferrets once lived across 502,000 square miles in the Great Plains of the U.S. Scientists are reintroducing them in parts of that range.

Think: Where in the U.S. are most reintroduction sites located?

Ferret Homeland

Black-footed ferrets once lived across 502,000 square miles in the Great Plains of the U.S. Scientists are reintroducing them in parts of that range.

Think: Where in the U.S. are most reintroduction sites located?

On the Prairie

Most black-footed ferrets live in the Great Plains, a large flat area of grassland in the central U.S. (see Ferret Homeland). There they hunt and eat prairie dogs, rodents that live in underground tunnels called burrows. Ferrets and other animals also make their homes in these burrows.

For thousands of years, the Great Plains were home to millions of black-footed ferrets. Then in the 1800s, farmers moved to the region. They saw the prairie dogs as pests. The farmers wanted to plant crops in the fields where prairie dogs lived. So with the help of the government, they poisoned the prairie dogs and destroyed their burrows.

Over time, 95 percent of the prairie dogs died. As a result, wild ferret numbers fell too. Diseases also killed both animals. By 1979, scientists thought black-footed ferrets had completely died out.

Most black-footed ferrets live in the Great Plains. That’s a large flat area of grassland. It’s in the central U.S. (see Ferret Homeland). There they hunt and eat prairie dogs. These rodents live in underground tunnels called burrows. Ferrets and other animals also make their homes in these burrows.

Millions of black-footed ferrets once lived on the Great Plains. They were there for thousands of years. Then farmers moved to the Great Plains in the 1800s. They saw the prairie dogs as pests. The farmers wanted to plant crops where the prairie dogs lived. So with help from the government, the farmers poisoned the prairie dogs. They also destroyed their burrows.

Over time, 95 percent of the prairie dogs died. Wild ferret numbers fell too as a result. Diseases also killed both animals. By 1979, scientists thought black-footed ferrets had totally died out.

A Second Chance

REVIVE & RESTORE

Scientist Ben Novak holds Elizabeth Ann when she is just 3 weeks old.

In 1981, a dog belonging to a Wyoming rancher brought home a big surprise: a dead black-footed ferret. It turned out that 130 ferrets were living nearby. Conservationists captured 18 of them to raise and breed. But within a few years, most of the remaining ferrets had become sick and died.

Thanks to the scientists’ efforts, there are about 600 black-footed ferrets alive today. That includes about 300 in the wild. But these ferrets are still at risk. One reason is that all of the animals come from just seven ancestors, explains Ben Novak. He’s a scientist at Revive & Restore, a group that has worked with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and others to save blackfooted ferrets. Closely related parents are more likely to pass on traits to their offspring that cause health problems.

In 1981, a dog that belonged to a Wyoming rancher found something surprising. It brought home a dead black-footed ferret. It turned out that 130 ferrets were living nearby. Scientists caught 18 of them to raise and breed. Most of the ferrets left in the wild became sick. They died within a few years.

There are about 600 black-footed ferrets alive today. That’s thanks to scientists’ efforts. About 300 of the ferrets live in the wild. But these ferrets are still at risk. One reason is that all the animals come from just seven ancestors, explains Ben Novak. He’s a scientist at Revive & Restore. This group works with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and others to save black-footed ferrets. It’s not good to have closely related parents. They are more likely to pass on traits to their children that cause health problems.

That’s where Elizabeth Ann comes in. Because she’s a clone of a ferret that lived in the past, she isn’t closely related to the other ferrets living now. Scientists hoped that Elizabeth Ann’s offspring would add new DNA to the ferret population. That would give all ferrets a better chance of surviving.

Scientists raised Elizabeth Ann at the National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center in Colorado. She lives in a pen built to look like a prairie dog burrow. As she matured, researchers began looking for a mate for her. But in 2022, they learned that Elizabeth Ann had a health problem. She recovered, but sadly she can’t have babies.

Yet she still may be a hero! Researchers plan to breed new ferrets with the same DNA as Elizabeth Ann’s. They are using a process similar to the one that led to Elizabeth Ann’s birth. If all goes well, those babies could still help save wild ferrets.

That’s where Elizabeth Ann comes in. She’s a clone of a ferret that lived in the past. So she isn’t closely related to the ferrets living now. Scientists hoped that Elizabeth Ann would have babies. They’d add new DNA to the ferret population. That would give all ferrets a better chance of surviving.

Scientists raised Elizabeth Ann at the National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center. It’s in Colorado. She lives in a pen. It’s built to look like a prairie dog burrow. Scientists began looking for a mate for her as she grew older. But in 2022, they learned Elizabeth Ann had a health problem. She got better. But sadly she can’t have babies.

Yet she still may be a hero! Scientists plan to breed new ferrets. They’ll have the same DNA as Elizabeth Ann’s. They are using a process like the one that led to Elizabeth Ann’s birth. Those babies could still help save wild ferrets if all goes well.

Hope for the Future

USFWS NATIONAL BLACK-FOOTED FERRET CONSERVATION CENTER

Elizabeth Ann runs through tubes at a Colorado breeding center.

Protecting black-footed ferrets could do more than save one species. It could help protect all the living things on the prairie.

For example, as the public gets excited about saving black-footed ferrets, they may also want to protect prairie dogs, the ferrets’ main food source. That would help the other animals that hunt prairie dogs, like hawks and badgers. It would also help the grasslands because prairie dogs help keep the soil healthy.

As some scientists breed black-footed ferrets to be released, others are treating the diseases that affect the animals. Researchers are also teaming up with farmers and ranchers to protect the prairie where ferrets live. Together, these heroic efforts just may give this species a new foothold in its wild home.

Protecting black-footed ferrets could do more than save one species. It could help protect all the living things on the prairie.

Breeding black-footed ferrets could get people excited about saving the animals. Then they may also want to protect prairie dogs. They’re the ferrets’ main food source. That would help other animals that hunt prairie dogs, including hawks and badgers. It would also help the grasslands. That’s because prairie dogs keep the soil healthy.

Other scientists are treating diseases that affect ferrets. They’re also teaming up with farmers and ranchers. They’re working to protect the prairie where ferrets live. Together, these heroic efforts may give this species a new chance in its wild home.