10/27/11 bv

HAYS, Kan. -- Thirty years ago, the black-footed ferret was brought back from the dead. Fort Hays State University's Sternberg Museum of Natural History will celebrate the anniversary of that discovery with a full day of programs beginning at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 7.

Attractions will include a live black-footed ferret and other prairie animals.

The day will kick off with the story of the black-footed ferret presented by the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Though not extinct, the ferret is still the most endangered mammal in North America.

Programs will include "Black-footed Ferrets: Reintroduction Program", a brief PBS documentary on the re-introduction project in western Kansas.

"Animals Everywhere" will be a walk-through expedition where zoos from Great Bend, Emporia and Sedgwick County will showcase live animals in an interactive exhibit. At Wildlife Societies, visitors can learn what has been done to benefit the recovery program of the black-footed ferret.

"Denizens of the Deep" and "Nightwalkers" will introduce prairie dogs and how they live nocturnally and are not the only ones to use their dens.

"Life after Fire" -- the sequel will explain what happens to animals and plants during a wildfire and after. "BFF Dinner Date" will show the complex food web of the prairie. The ferret is one of the many predators in the ecosystem.

From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will host an open house at the Sternberg Museum. The main event will be "The Black-footed Ferret -- A Successful Recovery", a presentation including the ferret's history, current status, how it was recovered and future plans.

Contact Eric Geising at 620-786-7456 or ergiesing@fhsu.edu, or James Leiker at 78-639-5349 or jaleiker4@fhsu.edu to schedule your school or class. There is no need to RSVP for the open house.