The Arizona Game and Fish Department is again recruiting volunteers for its annual exercise focusing on its management and monitoring of the endangered black-footed ferret. The agency has enjoyed success in reintroducing the once near-extinct species into the Aubrey Valley, near Seligman.
Participants will be involved in a spotlighting effort from March 25-29.
``This is a unique experience and provides volunteers with an opportunity to see the amount of effort involved with this reintroduction," said wildlife program manager Jeff Pebworth. ``Not to mention the fact the people will have a chance to see an animal few others have ever encountered."
Agency spokesman Zen Mocarski said volunteers must stay attentive from sunset to sunrise, be able to carry up to 30 pounds while backpack-spotlighting for two-hour durations, and they must be willing to learn how to use a Global Positioning System (GPS).
Anyone wanting to volunteer can get more information by e-mailing azferret@azgfd.gov by March 19 with "March Spotlighting" in the subject line.
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