Maned Wolf Pups born at the Houston Zoo

The Houston Zoo is proud to announce the births of two endangered maned wolf pups. Born December 30 to mom Lucy, 6 years old and father Seis, 8 years old, the pups are being hand reared at the Houston Zoo's Denton Cooley Animal Hospital.

"This is the first successful birth of maned wolves at the Houston Zoo in over 10 years," said Houston Zoo Curator of Carnivores and Primates Hollie Colahan. "The pups weigh just over 5 pounds now and are being cared for around the clock by Zoo carnivore and animal hospital staff," added Colahan. The pups are fed 6 times each day and were just introduced to solid food last week.

The pups, Diego and Dora, were named after the lead characters in the children's television cartoon programs Dora the Explorer and Go Diego Go. Maned wolves were featured prominently in an episode of Go Diego Go.

Maned wolves are native to the grasslands, savannahs and tall grass prairies of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia. The species once thrived and ranged throughout much of South America.

Unlike other wolves that live in cooperative breeding packs, maned wolves are solitary animals. Little is known about their lives in the wild where their populations are increasingly threatened by habitat loss to agriculture.

There are less than 100 maned wolves living in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Only 17 maned wolf pups were born in 2009. Studies are in place to understand why maned wolves breed poorly. Information collected from zoo-maintained maned wolves will be used to begin thorough studies of wild populations to address the species most pressing needs in its native range.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Houston
• Zoo
• maned wolf
• newborn
• endangered
• species
• cute
• rare
• furry
• fuzzy
• animal
• babies

[houstonzoo]

It is always our first choice to allow animals to be reared by their mother, and we only intervene if absolutely necessary. We are only handrearing them because their mother was unable to care for them and they would have died otherwise.

[JWLroar]

so cute with their little mohawks :)

[guitarlawyer75]

This kind of wolves are native to my city, in Brazil, but our local government does nothing to help them. We call them "Guara" in here.

[california101ful]

awww so cute especially with the pups milk mustache at the end

[chaoGoddess]

Very end of video

Nap time for the babies

[sailorathena17]

SOOOO CUTE!!!!!!!!!

[NativePrairieWolf]

@12345garhard did you not read where they said the mother was UNABLE to care for them?

QUOTE:

"We are only handrearing them because their mother was unable to care for them and they would have died otherwise."

[NativePrairieWolf]

This is another good video!

[WOLFxPRINCESS]

Ive been wanting to see the new pups whenever i go to the zoo but each time i go, they are never out playing. ilove the maned wolves because of their colors. How their ears look much like a bat's...lol. i cant wait to get my degree in vet medicine, marine bio and zoology. helping to car for adorable creatures such as these will be a pleasure for me.

[LetHatersHate44]

@12345garhard most all zoo wolves and other animals are hand-reared so they will be friendlier to humans, I'm sure the mom gets to see them but they hand-rear them so they are friendly. I believe so.

[12345garhard]

I'm sorry but this is ridiculous. The mother should be bonding with her pups. Hand reared? That makes me sick to think these people are doing them a favor by treating them like this. No problem with keeping them at the zoo but at 11 days you are torturing them and their mother by separating them like that.