Transponders as Permanent Identification Markers for Domestic Ferrets, Black-Footed Ferrets, and Other Wildlife

A 0.05-g transponder implanted subcutaneously was tested to see if it provided a reliable identification method. In laboratory tests 20 domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) received transponders and were monitored for a minimum of 6 months. None showed signs of inflammation, and necropsies conducted at the end of the study showed no scar tissue or transponder migration. Seven of 23 transponders failed during the test because of leakage through the plastic case, and a glass case is now being manufactured that does not have the leakage problem. During mark-recapture studies in September and October 1985, transponders were implanted in 20 black-footed ferrets (M. nigripes), 11 of which were subsequently recaptured and 9 of which were brought into captivity; none showed signs of inflammation. Transponders provide a reliable new method for identifying hard-to-mark wildlife with a unique, permanent number that can be read with the animal in-hand or by remote equipment.