PHOTOS: The 15 Cutest Endangered Animals in the World
Black-footed ferrets peep out of their hole at the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center official opening Thursday, Oct. 13, 2005, in Wellington, Colo. The animals were near extinction in 1986 with the last wild population numbering approximately 18.
The black footed ferret, a member of the weasel family, is considered endangered by the IUCN. In fact, the animals were declared extinct in 1979, although two years later a small population was discovered in Wyoming. Today, thanks to conservation efforts, there are about 1,000 of the animals across the central U.S. states, making them one of America’s top conservation success stories.
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