Elusive. Endangered. Extremely Cute.

A critically endangered Mexican gray wolf living at the Wolf Conservation Center (WCC), a 501c3 non-profit organization in South Salem, NY, made a priceless contribution to the recovery of her rare and at-risk species on last week – she had pups! On May 8, Mexican gray wolf F1143 (affectionately nicknamed Rosa by supporters) gave birth to a litter of nine pups – six boys and three girls. This is the first litter born to the pair – mom (age ten), and dad, (age eight).

Beyond being adorable, the wolf pups represent the Center’s active participation in an effort to save a species on the brink of extinction. The Mexican gray wolf or “lobo” is the most genetically distinct lineage of wolves in the Western Hemisphere, and one of the most endangered mammals in North America. By the mid-1980s, hunting, trapping, and poisoning caused the extinction of lobos in the wild, with only a handful remaining in captivity. In 1998 the wolves were reintroduced into the wild as part of a federal reintroduction program under the Endangered Species Act. Current estimates put the wild population at 114 in the United States.

To watch the family’s progress, tune in to their live webcams.