All black-footed ferrets alive today, other than the clones of Willa and their newborn kits, are descendants of the last seven wild individuals. This means that the remaining population is ...

That there are any black-footed ferrets at all is something of a miracle. In the 1970s, scientists thought black-footed ferrets were extinct, but a twist of fate, and an unprecedented breeding ...

Because Willa is unrelated to all other black-footed ferrets alive today, her DNA was previously "completely lost" the black-footed ferret population. All other black-footed ferrets in the U.S ...

Willa's genes contained “three times the genetic diversity seen in the current population of black-footed ferrets all of which (except the three clones and new offspring) are descended from just ...

Imagine a creature thought to be lost forever, reappearing against all odds, and then fighting its way back to life in the harsh landscapes of the Rocky Mountains. The black-footed ferret’s ...

The reason for this genetic bottleneck is that all black-footed ferrets alive today are born from just seven individuals. A dip in genetic diversity puts them at risk of certain diseases ...

But today's black-footed ferrets are all descended from just seven individuals, known as founders. Their lack of genetic diversity makes breeding them a challenge. Antonia is the clone of a black ...

All three ferret kits were born in June 2024 ... who later gave birth to several Willa clones. Black-footed ferrets are an endangered species in the United States — Novak estimates there are ...

The black-footed ferret was one of the first ... work established the foundation to conduct a black-footed ferret reintroduction. All the agencies and stakeholders listed have been in full support ...

"All very healthy," Garelle said. "Great job Thompson!" Many of the black-footed ferrets at the conservation center will breed. Some, Chuven said, if they're healthy will be released into the wild ...

All 10 of the animals are only four months old, born at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center in northern Colorado. At the center, FWS officials ...