Patter of tiny paws as pups take first steps

Rare bush dog babies delight crowds at Chester Zoo

Two litters of bush dog pups born at a zoo have started to venture outside for the first time.

The first litter, made up of five pups, wasdiscovered by keepers at Chester Zoo on August 11 after they heard tiny squeals coming from the animals’ den.

A second set arrived at the zoo just over a month later, but keepers are still waiting to determine how many pups were born as some may be tucked away in underground burrows.

Dave Hall, team manager of carnivores at the zoo, said: “We’re really excited by the arrival of the pups and they seemto have settled in well to the pack.

“These pups will play an important role in helping us find out more about this mysterious and often overlooked species.

“The two litters arrived to mums Japura andMana within only weeks of each other, which was previously thought to be a very rare occurrence.

“Usually just one alpha male and female produce offspring, so this gives us the opportunity to learn much more about the way the species live in groups.”

He added: “So far, we’ve counted five pups in the first litter while the second litter is yet to fully emerge, but once they have the confidence to leave their den and explore the outside world we will do their first health check.

“This will allow us to gather much more accurate data about the behaviour of the group.”

The bush dog species, listed as near threatened with extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, normally live in small, isolated populations in the wet forests and grasslands of CentralandSouthAmerica and hunt in packs.

OUT AND ABOUT: The bush dogs with their pups venturing outside for the first time

The bush dog pup takes its first steps at the zoo