Wolves may have been extinct in the UK for more than 300 years, however the animals may be making a comeback (in captivity, at least).
A litter of Hudson Bay Wolf cubs has just been born in a Devon wildlife park, believed to be the first of their kind in the UK.
Proud Mama Naira and father Maska have been looking after the seven pups in the Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park in Ilfracombe where they were born.
Park director Dawn Gilbert said: ‘This is a rather large litter for a first time mum. The average litter size is between four and six and not all of them generally survive.
‘It is still early days yet but the pups are making strong progress and mum Naira is carrying out her role brilliantly.’
While other Hudson Bay Wolves live in captivity at a wildlife park near Lincolnshire, this is the first time wolves of this type have been born in the UK for several centuries.
Naira and her sister, Saskia, arrived at the park in July 2013 and Maska, a male wolf, joined them in February 2014.
Due to the size of Naira and Maska’s litter park officials are now planning to drastically expand the animal’s living area.
Wild wolves roamed the British countryside for many years, however they often ate livestock and sometimes even attacked people.
The last one was thought to have been shot in the Scottish highlands in 1680.
Source
Awe, they're so cute.
