34 of one of North America’s most endangered mammals were just born right here in Phoenix. The Phoenix Zoo welcomed 34 black-footed ferret kits across seven litters, making 2026 its most successful breeding season for the species since 1999. That’s a pretty big deal considering black-footed ferrets were once believed to be completely extinct. A small population was rediscovered in Wyoming in 1981, and conservationists began an intensive breeding program to bring the species back. Today, the Phoenix Zoo is one of only five facilities in the world breeding them specifically to help return the species to the wild. The newborn kits spent their first three months with their mothers before most were transferred to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service facility. There, they’ll learn skills like hunting live prey before potentially being released into the wild. Others will remain in the breeding program to help maintain genetic diversity. The Phoenix Zoo has been part of the recovery effor...