Ferret smell could help protect New Zealand birds

3 January 2017

Researchers in New Zealand say that the stench of ferrets could be a useful tool to protect the country's birds, as the smell helps to attract non-native predators.

An experiment at a farm in the northern Hawke's Bay region found that lacing rabbit meat with ferret odour led to boom in the number of stoats, rats and hedgehogs detected at monitored sites, the New Zealand Herald reports. The creatures are all considered pests because of the damage they can do native flora and fauna.

"There were very dramatic increases, both in the time the animals spent around the odour and also in the number of detections," Dr Patrick Garvey of Landcare Research tells the paper. "We were told that if we could increase detection or trapping rates by 50%, we'd be doing amazingly well - and we got a 300% increase in stoat detections over the month."

The fact that ferrets are apex predators doesn't seem to put off creatures lower down the food chain, as getting a whiff of a potential threat could help them to stay safe. Dr Garvey likens it to humans smelling smoke: "Instead of running away from it, we'll investigate the source and will try to find out more about it to make things safer for us," he says.

In 2016, New Zealand's government set a target of wiping out non-native predators by 2050 in order to protect the country's wildlife, particularly its birds. Ferret odour isn't the only smelly tool being trialled as part of the efforts. Another company has been testing the effectiveness of traps that use a particularly potent substance to attract stoats - an oil made from the animals' anal glands.



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Fred the ferret goes on hour-long rampage attacking residents in block of flats

A ferret terrorised residents in a block of flats when it went on a biting spree.

The 20cm (8in) runaway, nicknamed Fred, snapped at Merrell Smith for almost an hour.

Her neighbour and another person were also bitten before Fred was lured into a cat box with a piece of ham.

However, he also nipped the RSPCA officer who collected him.

Ms Smith, from Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, said: ‘I heard my neighbour calling me and when I opened the door there was this ferret, outside my door running around.

‘I was talking to my neighbour about what to do when it just literally went for me. I tried to shoo it away but it just kept going for me and going for me.

‘This went on for about an hour or so. It just kept trying to bite me. It was horrible and my ankle is painful to walk on.’

She suffered puncture wounds to her skin and had to be treated by paramedics.

Ms Smith also required a tetanus jab to ensure she wasn’t infected.

Commenting on the incident, a RSPCA spokesman said the animal charity was currently searching for Fred’s owner.

‘The ferret did not appear to have been handled much and was not very friendly,’ he said.

‘It is currently in our care and we would appeal to anyone who has any information regarding who has lost the ferret to get in touch.’

http://metro.co.uk/2013/09/05/fred-the-ferret-goes-on-hour-long-rampage-attacking-residents-in-block-of-flats-3951030/

Man gets shock of his life when he buys two toy poodles for $150 only to be told by a vet that they are actually GIANT RODENTS pumped up with steroids to look like dogs

Gullible bargain hunters at Argentina's largest bazaar are forking out hundreds of dollars for what they think are gorgeous toy poodles, only to discover that their cute pooch is in fact a ferret pumped up on steroids. 

One retired man from Catamarca, duped by the knock-down price for a pedigree dog, became suspicious he had bought what Argentinians call a 'Brazilian rat' and when he returned home took the 'dogs' to a vet for their vaccinations.

Imagine his surprise when his suspicious were confirmed - he had in fact purchased two ferrets that had been given steroids at birth to increase their size and then had some extra grooming to make their coats resemble a fluffy toy poodle.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2305310/Man-gets-shock-toy-poodles-turn-GIANT-RODENTS-steroids.html#ixzz2PrytRAP3

Owners say ferrets are pets, officials say pest

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The difference between owning a ferret in Hawaii and one in Pennsylvania can be up to three years in jail — and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

That's the penalty for ferret fans in the Aloha State, where the 3-pound members of the weasel and polecat family are banned amid concerns of the animals escaping and wreaking havoc on the islands' delicate ecosystems. Similar fears are behind a decades-old ban in California, which has one of the nation's most diverse ecosystems.

"The concern is that if these animals were released, like other non-native species have been, they would adapt and thrive and out-compete native species for food, and prey on native species," said Adrianna Shea, deputy director of California's Fish and Game Commission.

States have had problems with feral animals in nonnative environments, creating problems for native species by eating them or ravaging their food supply. Feral cats, for example, have decimated bird populations. In Hawaii, the introduction of the mongoose to combat a rat problem "was a very poor idea. Rats are nocturnal and mongooses are diurnal. They only saw each other for a short period between dusk and dawn," said Minami Keevin, a land vertebrate specialist with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

But ferret fans argue that the foot-long domesticated creatures make excellent pets and shouldn't be regulated by wildlife agencies.

Continued:  http://news.yahoo.com/owners-ferrets-pets-officials-pest-100223217.html;_ylt=AugrimfkaJLVlXCKeuvk_nF4hMgF;_ylu=X3oDMTRhc2Z2dTZzBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBTY2llbmNlU0YgQW5pbWFsUGV0c1NTRgRwa2cDMWE5MmMwNjMtMGY0MC0zZGU4LTgzZDgtYmVjYTI3YzUxMjQ3BHBvcwM4BHNlYwN0b3Bfc3RvcnkEdmVyAzk3ZTQ5YjgxLTU5N2EtMTFlMi1hNTZiLTk1MjA5OGY5NDEyMA--;_ylg=X3oDMTI0MmNvNGRoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANzY2llbmNlfGFuaW1hbHNhbmRwZXRzBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z;_ylv=3

Edinburgh Haymarket ferret 'took London train'

Staff have named the ferret Mickey

22 March 2011

A ferret has been rescued from an Edinburgh station after apparently getting off a train from London.

The male ferret, named Mickey by animal welfare officers, was found at Haymarket train station on Monday.

He appeared on platform four at about 1900 GMT when the train from London was in the station.

Staff managed to catch the ferret, which is now being cared for by the Scottish SPCA. The animal charity is urging his owner to come forward.

Insp Jenny Scott, of the Scottish SPCA, said: "When I arrived to collect the ferret, the staff had managed to catch him and put him in a box.

"We're not sure if he has escaped from someone's house nearby or if he has ventured further and travelled all the way from England on the train.

"He's very friendly so he is obviously someone's pet.

"We'd love to return him to his owner as I'm sure they'll be missing him a lot."

The ferret is now being cared for at the charity's animal rescue and rehoming centre in Balerno.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-12820220

Wild-born black footed ferrets seen in Canada for first time in 70 years

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/black-footed-ferret.html

Canada's first wild-born black-footed ferrets in 70 years have been spotted by delighted conservationists in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan - and the antics of the mother and her three kits have been caught on camera by a documentary film crew.

Once considered North America's rarest mammal, the black-footed ferret was reintroduced in Canada in October 2009. The last wild sighting in the country prior to this was in 1937.

Previously occupying a huge area from western Canada to Mexico, ferret numbers began to decline in the early 20th century. The last wild specimen in Canada was seen in 1937. For many years, scientists thought the species had become completely extinct but, in 1981, a small population was found near a ranch in Wyoming. A successful captive breeding programme was started with the hope of reintroducing the ferret to the wild in Canada. Parks Canada reintroduced 34 black-footed ferrets back into their native habitat in Grasslands National Park in October 2009.

Since their reintroduction, this once extirpated native species has been closely monitored by Parks Canada biologists and dedicated ‘citizen scientist' volunteers. In the early hours at the end of July, a playful litter of kits was observed on a black-tailed prairie dog colony. The black-footed ferret mother and her three kits appeared healthy and engaged in honing their survival instincts.

The exciting discovery was captured by a documentary film crew for Nature of Things with David Suzuki and the footage is due to be broadcast in Canada later in the year.

A glimpse of a new generation
‘It is a privilege and profound experience to be able to be part of this story,' said documentary director, Kenton Vaughan. ‘This species was on the brink of extinction and now we have caught a glimpse of a new generation of wild born animals.'

SLEEK: Black-tailed ferrets are nocturnal Picture: Paul Knaga

Last year, a total of 34 ferrets were released in the national park. After an intensive spring survey involving 975 hours of volunteer assistance, 12 of the 34 were positively identified as the minimum number of ferrets that survived through the winter. Now, the discovery of ferret kits is confirming how quickly the ferrets are adapting to their new home on the Canadian prairie.

‘The observation of wild-born ferrets is a tremendous cause for celebration and a significant benchmark in the reintroduction effort of this species,' said Jim Prentice, Canada's Minister for the Environment. ‘The reintroduction of the black-footed ferret in Grasslands National Park is a success story due to the efforts of Parks Canada staff, our partners and dedicated volunteers.'

Ferrets now more popular down south

Ferret ownership is now more common in the south-east than the north - partly thanks to celebrity owners such as Paris Hilton.

Possession of the mammals used to be synonymous with the north where 'ferret legging' became popular, particularly among miners.

But celebrity owners, such as Hilton, Madonna and Jonthan Ross, have now made ferrets fashionable in the affuent south-east.

The decline of the need for poaching with ferrets to feed families in the north has also contributed, according to the survey by Ferret Education and Research Trust.

The report, in association with UK feed supplier James Wellbeloved, found owners in the affluent south-east, including London, account for 27% of the pet ferret population.

The North of England's three regions account for 24% between them. Yorkshire manages just seven per cent.

Enthusiasts typically keep two animals, although the record is 160, according to the Guardian.

Steve Shillitoe, one of the north's remaining ferret enthusiasts, said there had been a "rebranding of the ferret from a working animal owned by a Yorkshire man in a flat cap to a companion animal for a young Essex woman

http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkies/Ferrets_now_more_popular_down_south

Ferrets key to bridging the digital divide between cities and rural areas

Ferrets have been used by Virgin Media for over a year to help lay cables for its broadband service. Photo: VIRGIN

Specially trained ferrets are being used to deliver broadband to rural areas following groundbreaking techniques used by an internet provider.

Published: 7:00AM BST 01 Apr 2010

The animals have been used by Virgin Media for over a year to help lay cables for its broadband service, the company has disclosed.

The ferrets wear jackets fitted with a microchip which is able to analyse any breaks or damage in the underground network.

The development could help increase broadband in current Internet "dead zones", giving access to inaccessible places, and and helping bridge the 'digital divide'.

Currently most broadband technologies are limited to short distances from central switching offices so most companies focus on cities to keep costs down.

The government has set a target of universal broadband access of 2Mbps by 2012. Analysts estimate that the cost of running fibre optic cables to all parts of the country could cost anywhere between £10 billion and £25 billion. A 50p levy of every phone line in the country has been proposed to cover costs.

Currently around two million homes, one in 10 households, are without broadband.

Jon James, director of broadband for Virgin Media, said: "For hundreds of years, ferrets have helped humans in various jobs. Our decision to use them is due to their strong nesting instinct, their long, lean build and inquisitive nature, and for their ability to get down holes. We initially kept the trial low-key as we wanted to assess how well the ferrets fitted into our operations before revealing this enterprising scheme."

Ferrets have been used to run cables through hard-to-reach places in the past.

Events organisers in London used them to run television and sound cables outside Buckingham Palace for the wedding of the Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

A similar system was used to lay the cables for televised coverage for the Party in the Park concert in Greenwich at the Millennium.

With their long lean build ferrets have historically been sent down holes to chase rodents and rabbits out of their burrows.

Caesar Augustus is thought to have sent ferrets to the Balearic Islands to control the rabbit plagues in 6BC.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7541455/Ferrets-key-to-bridging-the-digital-divide-between-cities-and-rural-areas.html

Thief stuffs weapon-ferret down trousers

By TOM PHILLIPS - Friday, October 30, 2009

Police say a Florida man stole a live ferret from a pet shop by stuffing it down his trousers.

Thirty-eight-year-old Rodney Bolton is charged with theft of the $129 (£78) animal that police say he took from a pet store in Jacksonville Beach, The Florida Times-Union reported.

A 17-year-old witness confronted Bolton about the ferret-theft in the car park as he tried to leave - and was bitten by the animal after Bolton allegedly pushed it in the teen's face.

Technically, under Florida law, that makes the ferret a 'special weapon', with the result that Bolton also faces battery charges for dangerously wielding the animal.

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?Thief_stuffs_weapon-ferret_down_trousers&in_article_id=760149&in_page_id=2