While the scientific discovery of ferrets dates back to 1851 and the surveys of John Audubon and John Bachman, only three 'functioning' populations of ferrets have ever been scientifically studied. Observations from these populations indicate that ferrets are relatively solitary animals, with females have one litter each summer and raising that litter by themselves. Male ferrets typically have larger home ranges than females and overlap more than one female's home range thus earning the species the label of having a polygynous mating system.
