Black-Footed Ferrets Climb Back From Brink of Extinction

It's a record-breaking year for endangered black-footed ferrets. The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) reports that 50 surviving black-footed ferret kits were born at the Zoo's Front Royal Facility this year.Monday, September 26 marks the 30th anniversary of the discovery of the last 24 wild black-footed ferrets in North America. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service intervened to save the tiny population, and the animals were transferred from Wyoming to captive breeding centers across the country.Today, more than 1,000 black-footed ferrets exist in the wild due to breeding and reintroduction programs at six institutions, including SCBI.Visit the National Zoo's Black-Footed Ferret Press Kit to learn more about the Recovery Program.