On Aug. 24, 2001, BLM agreed to accept a conditional allocation of black-footed ferrets for release this fall in an area know as the "40-Complex" in South Phillips County, MT.

BLM will also be coordinating with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks on prairie dog management and conservation on the 40-Complex.

"We are pleased to accept black-footed ferrets on BLM lands. I look forward to working together with the agencies, landowners and others in resolving concerns and providing for a successful recovery effort," said BLM Montana State Director Mat Millenbach.

"BLM plans to take several actions designed to help ensure a successful release," said BLM's Malta Field Manager, Bruce Reed. "We will dust the prairie dog towns with an insecticide to control fleas to help prevent the spread of sylvatic plague. If we find plague, we will not release ferrets this fall because of the probability of mortality. We will monitor for plague and continue the current shooting closure on the 40-Complex," continued Reed. "We will also work with the Montana Black-footed Ferret Working Group and the Prairie Ecosystem Action Council to address adjacent landowners' concerns."

The Black-footed Ferret Working Group is a coalition of federal, state and tribal agencies in addition to private landowners and other non-government organizations.