Wild Again: The Struggle to Save the Black-Footed Ferret by David S. Jachowski (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Wild Again: The Struggle to Save the Black-Footed Ferret by David S. Jachowski Kent A. Fricke Wild Again: The Struggle to Save the Black-Footed Ferret. By David S. Jachowski. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2014. viii + 241 pp. Photos, further readings, index. $34.95 cloth. In Wild Again, David Jachowski paints an endearing portrait of the black-footed ferret—a species once thought extinct in the wild—and describes the passion, heartache, and commitment of the people engaged in restoring ferret populations to the Great Plains. It is a personal story, filled with anecdotes centered on the difficulties of saving an endangered species and the toll it takes on the people committed to the cause. It is also a story of a race against time, from capturing the last remaining wild ferrets for a captive breeding program to fending off plague in prairie dog towns. Readers will enjoy Jachowski’s engaging narrative style, which intertwines the theory and practice of conservation biology, the policies that enhance and impede progress, and the dogged determination and perseverance of the biologists tasked with preserving a species. Jachowski details the natural history of black-footed ferrets, as well as the events, perceptions, and policies that led to their near extinction in the late 1980s. He then describes the development of his own interest in and passion for ferret conservation, demonstrating how years of fieldwork and pondering the potential establishment of viable ferret populations have shaped his views on important aspects of ferret and prairie dog conservation, and how these thoughts have shaped his personal and professional life. Although the Endangered Species Act is sporadically mentioned in the text, relatively little emphasis is placed on the positive roles of this policy on ferret recovery efforts. Jachowski does discuss some negative effects of the legislation on landowner attitudes and agency policies but does not consider its enhancement of rescue efforts. He does, however, document how a general hatred of prairie dogs has led to the decimation of black-footed ferrets and impeded ferret recovery efforts. Jachowski concludes with an insightful quote related to his contribution to black-footed ferret recovery: “I can only offer that for me, by preserving black-footed ferrets, we aren’t just preserving a single animal or species; we are preserving an identity for the land” (213). Ultimately, Wild Again brings to the reader the theory of conservation biology and the real-life struggles of the passionate, hardworking men and women who have dedicated their lives to conserving endangered species. [End Page 184] It is written in a manner that is accessible to the lay reader interested in Great Plains species and ecosystems, yet is detailed with quality references to satisfy the most ardent conservation biologist. Wild Again is Jachowski’s story of his love for the Great Plains and the animals that inhabit it, as well as his plea for the citizens of the region to preserve its wildness and wonder. Kent A. Fricke School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska–Lincoln Copyright © 2015 Center for Great Plains Studies, University of Nebraska–Lincoln