Black-footed Ferret Cam
Thank you for supporting the Black-footed Ferret Cam! Now that the kits are grown and moving to new areas, we've switched off the Ferret Cam for the season. We hope you enjoyed watching Aristides raise her kits.
Black-footed ferrets are North America's only native ferret species and were once extinct in the wild. Thanks to breeding and reintroduction programs, they have made an incredible recovery. Every kit represents a huge step in saving this endangered species.
Ferret Cam FAQs
When is the best time to see the kits playing?
Like many babies, black-footed ferrets kits mostly spend the first few weeks of their lives resting. When they grow a little older, they will spend more time playing and exploring.
As a species, black-footed ferrets are nocturnal, so the kits may be more active at night or early in the morning.
Who are the kits' parents?
The mother, also called a dam, is 1-year-old Aristides. Aristides was born June 21, 2022, at the Louisville Zoo in Louisville, Ky. This is her second litter. She gave birth to a litter of seven kits last year at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, Virginia.
The father, also called a sire, is Thanos. Thanos is 3 years old and was born at Phoenix Zoo in Arizona on May 21, 2021. Thanos sired two litters at SCBI last year.
Is that a rat?
Black-footed ferrets eat rats and other small rodents. You may see them enjoy a rat meal on camera! It's easy to confuse the rats with a lame or dead kit. However, all the kits are healthy and growing well.
