When it comes to the Endangered Species Act in Wyoming, grizzly bears and wolves often dominate the discussion. Whether in courtrooms or coffee shops, the controversial predators divide public opinion.

But the story is different with a small ferret — and it’s a story worth celebrating.

When the first U.S. endangered species list was created in 1967, black-footed ferrets were listed as endangered. By the late 1970s, they were considered extinct after the last known black-footed ferret died in captivity.

Then along came a dog named Shep.

In 1981, the ranch dog brought a dead black-footed ferret to his owners, John and Lucille Hogg of Meeteetse, leading to the discovery of a live colony of black-footed ferrets in the area.

Rural Meeteetse became the birthplace of a new black-footed ferret recovery effort.

Unfortunately, the population struggled, and by the mid-1980s, only 18 ferrets remained. The last one was captured and removed from Meeteetse in 1987.

At that point, the black-footed ferret was considered the rarest mammal on earth, according to the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center.

But thanks to recovery efforts in captivity, a few hundred black-footed ferrets now live in the wild, all tracing back to the original Meeteetse population.

This summer, nearly 30 years after the last ferret left Meeteetse, the species will be returned to the area as part of reintroduction efforts.

It’s a remarkable recovery story, and we think it proves even a nearly extinct species can rebound when landowners, biologists and government officials work together.

Ranch owners in Meeteetse are welcoming black-footed ferrets on their land, and wildlife officials are relaxing some of the restrictions in place for endangered species. For example, if a black-footed ferret is accidentally killed, the landowner won’t be punished.

It’s nice to see an apparent consensus about the ferrets’ future. It’s also a reminder that we should focus conservation efforts on truly endangered and threatened animals.

While grizzlies and gray wolves certainly struggled in the past, numbers show their populations have rebounded in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

At least 1,700 wolves in 282 packs live in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the wolf population “has exceeded recovery goals identified by the Service and partner biologists since 2002.”

And yet, following court orders, gray wolves in Wyoming still have regulatory protections under the Endangered Species Act.

“We have other species that need the protections of the Endangered Species Act, that need the work of the men and women of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and our partners. Wolf is not one of them,” Fish and Wildlife Director Dan Ashe said at a Senate hearing last year.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the Yellowstone grizzly population also has recovered, growing from as few as 136 bears in 1975 to 700 or more today. Officials are working toward removing grizzlies from the endangered species list and returning management to the states.

Even though it’s a conservation success story supported by science, there likely still will be lawsuits and court battles over the grizzly delisting.

We believe the Endangered Species Act is vital and conservation efforts must continue for struggling animal populations — not those that have recovered. The black-footed ferret is a reminder of the species that truly need our help.