A fuzzy bundle of joy at 8 days old: One of four maned wolf pups born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Virginia poses for the camera.
Maned wolves are threatened in the wild because of habitat encroachment in South America.
The litter of maned wolf pups at three weeks of age. The pups were born Jan. 5, 2012.
The litter is the first born at the Institute in two years.
A maned wolf pup born Jan. 5 gets a checkup and its first vaccinations on Feb. 16.
Hey, that stethoscope is cold! One of the four maned wolf pups visits the veterinarian.
The four wolves were given their first vaccinations and a clean bill of health.
The litter seems to be made up of two males and two females, though veterinarians will have to confirm that when the pups' reproductive systems mature.
Each pup weighs between four and five pounds (1.8 and 2.6 kg).
An adult maned wolf shows off the furry scruff that gives the species its name.
Maned wolves are difficult to breed in captivity, so researchers are testing out special diets to better approximate what wild wolves eat. These canines are omnivorous, and their diet in the wild seems evenly split between plants and meat.
