The black-footed ferret species is native to the continent of North America
In 1985, there were only 10 known black-footed ferrets in the wild, making them endangered
The species was threatened by habitat loss as well as non-native disease
Efforts made by groups such as federal agencies, Native American tribes, conservation organizations, zoos, and private landowners have helped populations recover.
Recent studies done by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimate current numbers to be 300 black-footed ferrets living in the wild.