Six-Week-Old Black Footed Ferret Kits Wrestle and Play

Six weeks old is an exciting time to be a black-footed ferret kit! In this video, the six yet-to-be-named kits wrestle in their den and play with their mother, Aristides.
The ferrets are part of a conservation breeding program which aims to increase the population of these endangered animals in the wild and in human care. The Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute has welcomed 44 new kits in 2024, all of whom were born at the Smithsonian's conservation facility in Front Royal, Virginia.