Summary
Two rare maned wolf pups were born at Paignton Zoo in the UK. The zoo considers the birth important for conservation because maned wolves are hard to breed and are near threatened in the wild. The pups' arrival follows close monitoring of their parents, Tolock and Lua.
Key Facts
- Paignton Zoo in the UK celebrated the birth of two rare maned wolf pups.
- The pups were born to maned wolf parents named Tolock and Lua in November.
- Maned wolves are the largest canids in South America and are considered near threatened, mainly living in Brazil.
- The zoo closely monitored the parents' behavior, and the pups were conceived shortly after the female came into heat.
- Maned wolves are solitary but come together during the breeding season and have a short fertility window each year.
- The zoo participates in the European Endangered Species Programme to help maintain genetic diversity for possible future reintroduction to the wild.
- There are fewer than 17,000 maned wolves surviving in the wild across South America.
- The species face risks primarily due to habitat loss.
