Canada: Litter of black-footed ferrets born in Grasslands NP; Canada's first births in wild in 70 years
VAL MARIE, Sask. - The reintroduction of black-footed ferrets in Grasslands National Park is being called a success story after the discovery of a litter of young animals — the first wild-born in the species in Canada in over 70 years.
Last October, 34 ferrets — many of them born at the Toronto Zoo — were released in the park in southwestern Saskatchewan. After a spring survey, it was found that at least 12 had survived the winter.
Now, Parks Canada says, observers have spotted a litter of three kits and their mother on a black-tailed prairie dog colony. Ferrets, about the size of domestic cats, prey on prairie dogs, and use the prairie dogs' burrows for their own shelters.
The discovery was filmed by a documentary crew for "Nature of Things With David Suzuki" and is to air in the coming months.
"This species was on the brink of extinction and now we have caught a glimpse of a new generation of wild-born animals," said documentary director Kenton Vaughan.