The arrival of nine African wild dog pups has been cause for celebration at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.
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This is the first successful litter for breeding pair Kimanda and Guban, and the first litter born at the zoo since 2009.
All nine pups, born November 17, have undergone their second of three vaccinations and will be on display in the coming Easter school holiday period.
Life sciences supervisor Jennifer Conaghan said the zoo was absolutely thrilled to welcome the litter of pups.
"Due to their nature and social structure Afrian wild dogs can be very challenging to breed, and to have this success is a credit to the expertise, patience and husbandry skills of our zoo keepers," Ms Conaghan said.
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Keeper Linda Matthews said African wild dogs were the most endangered large carnivore in Africa and therefore every birth was critical.
"Their demise is a result of persecutions by humans, susceptibility to diseases and also habitat loss and human encroachment. Current estimates have the population at just 6,600 adults in the wild," Ms Matthews said.
As would happen in the wild, the pups remained in their own den with their mother Kimanda for their first few weeks of life, before venturing out to explore their surroundings behind the scenes, she said.
"African wild dogs can have litters of up to 15 to 18 pups. With these nine new arrivals our breeding pack has grown to 14 and the entire pack is involved in the welfare and raising of the pups."
"We have seen both males and females look after and provide food for them.
The African wild dog pups will grow to the size of a medium sized domestic dog, weighing an average of 17 to 32 kilograms.