Four of the youngest Woodland Park Zoo residents are ready to make their debut to the public! The four pups who were born to 4-year-old mother Teratai and 8-year-old father Günter on January 20 are now on display in the outdoor exhibit.
As raising pups, like any newborns, is a family affair the entire clan have been living in their off view den since the pups were born.
The pups received a clean bill of health during their first check up in March and currently range in weight between just 2.4 and 3 pounds.
Since their check up last month, the family have been teaching the young ones how to swim and dive. The pups are now showing increased mobility and are diving a few inches deep in the large pool.
The pups are now nearly weaned and eating a solid diet of chopped smelt and capelin. They love wrestling and are starting to mimic adult behaviors such as rolling in wood shavings and mulch to dry their coats and are trying to help collect nesting materials.
Now that the 3-month-old pups are safely navigating the outdoor exhibit, the entire family of 10 are now on view daily for visitors to see.
Photo courtesy of Woodland Park Zoo. Photo credit – Ryan Hawk.
