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6 endangered black-footed ferrets born at Phoenix Zoo

Six itsy-bitsy black-footed ferrets have been born through the Phoenix Zoo's recovery program.

Credit: AP

In this June 2019 photo provided by the Phoenix Zoo, a worker holds six baby endangered black-footed ferrets that were born through the zoo's recovery program. Officials at the zoo, which has one of only six black-footed ferret breeding facilities in the world, said that some of the ferrets will go to breeding facilities to become future parents, and some will be released into the wild. (Phoenix Zoo/Via AP)

PHOENIX — Six itsy-bitsy black-footed ferrets have been born through the Phoenix Zoo's recovery program.

The litter from first-time mom Mandolin arrived two weeks ago. Mandolin will care for them for the next few months at the zoo, which has one of only six breeding facilities in the world for this particular endangered species.

Specialists in the fall will determine which of the ferret babies — known as kits — will go to breeding facilities to become future parents and which will be released into the wild.

Credit: AP

In this June 2019 photo provided by the Phoenix Zoo, a worker holds one of six baby endangered black-footed ferrets that were born through the zoo's recovery program. Officials at the zoo, which has one of only six black-footed ferret breeding facilities in the world, said that some of the ferrets will go to breeding facilities to become future parents, and some will be released into the wild. (Phoenix Zoo/Via AP)

Kits from this litter that are ultimately released will first go to the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in Colorado to prepare them for survival in the wild.

Over 400 black-footed ferrets have been born at the Phoenix Zoo under the recovery program.

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