THERE was great excitement at Dublin Zoo last month when a litter of no less than seven African Painted Dogs were born.
The new arrivals were actually born seven weeks ago and in preparing for the birth the mum excavated a deep burrow in the ground.
That meant she was out of sight from the zoo’s animal care team who could only guess what was happening under the surface.
It was not until the new-borns opened their eyes approximately three weeks after birth that she brought them to the surface and into the sunlight.
Team leader Helen Clarke said: “We are very pleased with how the new additions to the pack are settling in. African Painted Dogs are an endangered species so the arrival of seven pups is of great significance to us.”
Also known as African wild or hunting dogs, African Painted Dogs have a unique coat pattern, making them easily identifiable. It is estimated that approximately only 6,000 remain in the wild today.
The new arrivals can be seen at African Plains in Dublin Zoo.
