Ecology of ferrets and bovine Tb transmission
Movements and survival of juvenile ferrets
- Young ferrets in braided riverbeds in the Mackenzie Basin moved up to 45 km from their home territory (average about 10 km), and they were more likely to colonise areas that had had predator control in spring.
- Young ferrets also had much higher survival rates when they moved to areas with spring predator control.
- Seasonal control of ferrets is best done in
autumn, after juveniles
have settled in a new location, to minimise
reinvasion of an area by
more juveniles. Juvenile ferrets have the potential to spread bovine
Tb over extremely long distances.
Territorial behaviour in captive ferrets
-
Ferrets' tolerance for other individuals of the same sex varied in captivity
in relation to breeding season and food availability. This partly explains
the variability we see in ferrets' ranging behaviour in the wild.
Ferret behaviour, ecology and activity patterns in North Canterbury
- Trapping near vegetation cover, rabbit sign and other animal tracks improved capture rates of ferret traps.
- Rabbits were the primary prey of ferrets, although foraging behaviour declined during the breeding season.
- Ferrets are probably least trappable during the breeding season.
Relationships between ferrets, rabbits, and native prey
A recent study in the Mackenzie Basin showed that reducing exotic prey
(mostly rabbits) largely controls ferret populations. This can have serious
impacts on native birds and lizards, because rabbits support ferrets at
high numbers. Reducing ferret populations, and protecting native fauna
from predation, may be facilitated by judicious management of rabbits.
Causes of mortality at nests of ground-nesting birds of braided rivers
Nests of banded dotterels, black-fronted terns, and black stilts were observed with video cameras.
- Ferrets were responsible for 22% of the recorded deaths of these birds.
Other causes of mortality were:
- cats (40%)
- hedgehogs (19%)
- stoats (5%)
- sheep trampling (3%)
- a magpie (2%)
- a harrier (2%)
- accidental breakage by incubating bird (4%)
- floods (5%).
Future research and predator control should focus on cats, ferrets, and hedgehogs.
Ferrets and bovine Tb transmission
Do ferrets transmit bovine tuberculosis to livestock?
A recent study in North Canterbury showed that ferrets almost certainly do transmit bovine Tb to cattle, and culling ferrets reduces the incidence of the disease in cattle. However, another study also showed that ferrets are only "spillover" hosts of Tb. This means that on their own, ferret populations will not maintain Tb. They only carry the disease when there are other maintenance hosts (such as possums) around in the same geographical area.
Ferret scavenging behaviour: implications for Tb transmission
Ferrets will scavenge carcasses of other ferrets, hedgehogs and possums.
Ferret-to-ferret Tb transmission is therefore possible through scavenging.
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 | Andrea Byrom Email  |
Landcare Research | |
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