Black-footed Ferrets Give Birth

The black footed ferret, an endangered species, native to the North American Prairie, gave birth at the National Zoo on June 20th.

From the National Zoo's Website:

The National Zoo's Conservation and Research Center (CRC), in Front Royal, Virginia, has been breeding endangered black-footed ferrets for 20 years to bring them back from the brink of extinction. This year, 21 females were bred at CRC, four by artificial insemination and 17 by natural pairings.

So far, four ferrets have given birth to litters, including Georgia, the ferret featured on our web cam. She gave birth to a kit, resulting from artificial insemination, on June 20. Look for the newborn on the cam. It does not yet have the dark markings of its mother.

CRC staff were not sure which ferrets were pregnant. Ferrets are induced ovulators, which means they do not ovulate until they breed. When we artificially inseminate them, we give them a hormone injection the day before to induce ovulation. Ovulation usually results in a pregnancy or a pseudo (false) pregnancy. As with giant pandas, their hormone levels change as if they were pregnant, whether or not they are. Also, their appetite will increase, they will gain weight, and show other changes in behavior.

The National Zoo has even put a webcam up HERE.