CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- It may still be winter, but animals at Brookfield Zoo are welcoming their offspring.
Brookfield Zoo announced Friday the birth of seven African painted dogs. The pups were born Jan. 14 and are currently behind the scenes bonding with first-time mom Ngala.
The zoo is unsure of their genders right now, and will not find out until the pups neo-natal exams in March. At the same time, the dogs will receive their first-round of vaccinations.
And while the public will not be able to view the pups until mid-spring, the zoo welcomes people to visit their social media channels and website to see a video loop of the newborn African painted dogs.
“The births are a welcomed addition to Brookfield Zoo. We hope when the puppies can be seen this spring, guests will become inspired to learn more about painted dogs and the plight their counterparts face in Africa,” said Joan Daniels, curator of mammals for CZS, in a statement.
The breeding of the alpha male and female was based on a recommendation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ African Painted Dog Species Survival Plan (SSP). According to the Chicago Zoological Society, currently, there are just over 200 African painted dogs in 38 accredited North American zoos. Brookfield Zoo is one of eight zoos to receive a breeding recommendation for 2020.
Painted dogs are considered to be one of Africa’s most endangered predators. The species’ numbers continue to decline, primarily due to habitat fragmentation, conflict with human activities, and transmission of infectious diseases.
The zoo reminds guests that African painted dogs are not closely related to domesticated dogs, nor have they been domesticated. They are truly a wild dog species.
African painted dogs differ from their other dog relatives in that they have four toes on their front feet instead of five. They are descibed to have long legs and a lanky body, which gives the dogs both speed and endurance. Their large, rounded ears provide them with excellent hearing and help keep the dogs cool in warm climates. They are a medium-sized animal weighing between 40 and 75 pounds, the zoo said in a statement.
Puppies are born with a black and white coat that begins to change to a distinctively patterned coat of black, tan, dark brown, and white at about a month old. Like a human fingerprint, no two dogs’ coats are the same, the zoo said.