Happiness is getting some one-on-one time with Mom.

When Mexican gray wolf Rosa (F1143) licks and nibbles her tiny son (the adorable runt of her litter of nine), not only is she keeping her kiddo’s fur clean and free of debris, her grooming efforts are gestures of intimacy that reaffirm the unique emotional bonds that shape the foundation of the family.

Are you falling in love with the teeny tiny two-month-old? He might be small in size, but the spirited fellow has a big personality — and fan base!

At just around 5 pounds, the little lobo is half the size of most of his 8 siblings but is otherwise healthy and thriving. Follow his progress via live webcams.

This critically endangered Mexican gray wolf family represents the Wolf Conservation 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.

Today in the U.S., there is a single wild population comprising only 114 individuals – an increase of just one from 113 counted at the end of 2016.

For almost two decades, the WCC has played a critical role in preserving and protecting these imperiled predators through carefully managed breeding, research, and reintroduction. To date, the WCC remains one of the three largest holding facilities for Mexican gray wolves and three wolves from the Center have been released to their ancestral homes in the wild.