After giving the kit both shots, we release them back into their habitat area and move on to the next one. Aristides has six kits, which means our animal care teams get a lot of practice making these health checks run as smoothly as possible. If the veterinary team is concerned about anything, they’ll schedule follow ups as necessary.
And we’re done! The kits aren’t too bothered by this exam. In just a few moments, they’ll go back to wrestling with each other and playing with their enrichment items.
In just a few weeks, our ferrets will be moving on from their nursery den. We just found out that 5 of the 6 kits will be heading to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center to join the preconditioning program, which prepares them for life in the wild. (We’re not yet sure whether the last kit will be staying here at our conservation science facility in Front Royal, Va., or joining another zoo’s ferret breeding program.)
Seeing them go is always hard, but it’s rewarding to know they’ll be contributing to the recovery of their species. Until then, you still have a few more weeks to connect with them on the Black-footed Ferret Cam!