---
title: "Black-footed Ferret"
description: "Mustela nigripes — Mammiferi. The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes), also known as the American polecat or prairie dog hunter, is a mustelid species native to central North America."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/it/animal/black-footed-ferret
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Black-footed Ferret

> Mustela nigripes — Mammiferi. The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes), also known as the American polecat or prairie dog hunter, is a mustelid species native to central North America.

- Scientific name: *Mustela nigripes*
- Category: `mammals` (Mammiferi)
- Habitats: `grassland` (Prati e campi)
- iNaturalist observations: 149
- Wikidata: [Q402885](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q402885)
- iNaturalist taxon: [41809](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/41809)

## Names

- en: Black-footed Ferret
- de: Schwarzfußiltis
- es: Hurón de patas negras
- fr: Putois à pieds noirs
- nl: Zwartvoetbunzing
- pt: Doninha-de-patas-pretas
- pl: Tchórz czarnołapy

## Countries with the most observations

US (74), CA (3)

## Summary

The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes), also known as the American polecat or prairie dog hunter, is a mustelid species native to central North America. It is roughly the size of a mink and is similar in appearance to the European polecat and the Asian steppe polecat. It is largely nocturnal and solitary, except when breeding or raising litters. Up to 90% of its diet is composed of prairie dogs.
The black-footed ferret declined throughout the 20th century, primarily as a result of decreases in prairie dog populations and sylvatic plague. It was declared extinct in 1979, but a residual wild population was discovered…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-footed_ferret

## Photo

![Black-footed Ferret](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/black-footed-ferret/medium.jpg)

Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie · Public domain · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/41809

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/black-footed-ferret?lang=it` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).