The birth of new baby animals is always an exciting event for zoos, especially when they belong to an endangered species. Each new addition represents a step forward in ensuring the survival of the species for future generations.

Recently, the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, announced the arrival of six red wolf cubs – two females and four males. This is an inspiring development for the critically endangered species.

The cubs were born to first-time parents, Camelia and Uyosi, who arrived at the zoo in October. The pair was matched through the Red Wolf Species Survival Plan (SSP), which strives to breed pairs with the highest genetic diversity to increase the wild population.

Since 1996, the red wolf has been classified as a critically endangered species by the IUCN, and it is also listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Recovery programs have brought the species back from the brink of extinction, but they are still greatly at risk: according to the zoo, they are the most endangered canid species in the world with only about two dozen living in the wild.

So these six newborns are an inspiring step forward in protecting this critically endangered species, and thankfully the pups are doing well, bonding with their parents.

“Camelia and Uyosi are amazing parents, I wouldn’t expect anything less from them,”, GPZ Animal Care Director Joel Locke said in the press release. “We are fortunate to have vet staff and animal care staff that have worked with red wolves for more than 15 years. We had our last litter from our previous pair of red wolves in 2016, so the team is well-versed in red wolf care.”

The newborn litter will soon be available for viewing at the zoo as the pups “get bigger and braver,” but zookeepers ask visitors to keep their voices low as new wolf parents are “especially susceptible to environmental stressors.”