Twenty-four endangered black-footed ferrets were released at three northern Arizona sites in September as part of ongoing efforts to rebuild the species’ population. The Arizona Game and Fish Department released 18 of the animals at Aubrey Valley and Double O Ranch near Seligman in Yavapai County on Sept. 14. Six others were released at Garland Prairie, between Flagstaff and Williams in Coconino County. The department later shared video of the animals entering their new habitat. The ferrets were born in captivity and came from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in Colorado. Before release, they received training to hunt and survive in the wild. The timing matters for reproduction, said Heather Heimann, the department’s black-footed ferret project specialist. The animals could increase the population now and give males and females more opportunities to find mates in spring, she said. Black-footed ferrets are North America’s only native ferret species. Their numbers fell sharply during the 20th century as a result of habitat loss and disease. Sylvatic plague, a flea-borne bacterial disease affecting ferrets and prairie dogs—their primary prey—remains a major obstacle to recovery. Arizona’s conservation work also includes captive breeding. The Phoenix Zoo reported 34 kits across seven litters this year, its most successful breeding season since 1999. Many of the kits are expected to go to the Colorado conservation center for survival training before potential release. Arizona Game and Fish is seeking volunteers this fall for spotlight surveys and population counts, as well as other recovery work. Information about volunteer opportunities is available at volunteer.azgfd.gov.