CSU Vet Works to Cure Ferret Disease Black-footed ferrets were thought to be extinct until a small colony was found in Wyoming in 1981. Since that time, a captive breeding and release program has re-introduced ferrets to several wilderness areas. Unfortunately, there are a couple of diseases that are hurting their chances for survival. Wimsatt has been researching ways to protect black-footed ferrets from disease.
Ferrets are vulnerable to bubonic plague and canine distemper.
Wimsatt believes that a successful release program hinges on the discovery of a better vaccine. That isn t our spirit.