Newborn litter of black-footed ferrets welcomed by national zoo

Black-footed ferrets are North America’s only native ferrets and the species was thought to be extinct until 1981, when the last colony was found near Meeteetse, Wyoming.¹ The species is now categorized as endangered, and since 1989, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) has participated in a cooperative breeding program to support the repopulation of black-footed ferrets. As of now, 1218 kits have been born at NZCBI, with over 750 ferrets reintroduced to the wild.¹ The NZCBI has 48 black-footed ferrets currently in exhibits and for public view.

The zoo is now celebrating the birth of a new litter of 6 kits.¹ One-year-old female, Aristides, gave birth to the ferrets on May 11, 2024 and this is Aristides' second litter. The father, 2-year-old Thanos has now produced 3 litters.

Aristides with her litter. (Photo credit: Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute)

The animal care team is keeping a close watch on the new additions and at 4 days old, the kits underwent regular check-ups to monitor their development and weight gain. There is also a temporary live webcam on the NZCBI website.

At birth, black-footed ferret kits are blind, weigh under 10 grams, and have a thin layer of white fur. Their distinctive mask-like eye markings and dark feet markings appear around 3 weeks old. They open their eyes at about 37 days old. Between 45 and 50 days, kits start exploring outside their den and the tunnel systems in their enclosures, which simulate the prairie dog burrows of their natural habitat.

The kits nurse for about a month before beginning to eat meat and sample their mother's diet. They separate from their mother around 3 to 4 months old.¹

In August, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) program for black-footed ferrets will perform a genetic assessment of the entire population in human care. This assessment will decide if the kits stay at NZCBI, move to another breeding facility, or join the US Fish and Wildlife Service pre-conditioning program for wild release. This program teaches ferrets to live in burrows and hunt prey before reintroduction to the wild.

Reference

Black-footed ferrets Born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. News release. Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. May 17, 2024. Accessed June 3, 2024. https://nationalzoo.si.edu/news/black-footed-ferrets-born-smithsonians-national-zoo-and-conservation-biology-institute