Zoo Knoxville is celebrating the birth of a new baby--- a rare red wolf.
The zoo announced the birth of the critically endangered baby on its Facebook page. The pup was born on April 30 to mother Saaron and father Sunny, both first-time parents.
He is the first red wolf pup born at Zoo Knoxville in 23 years.
GALLERY: Rare red wolf pup at Zoo Knoxville
Zoo staff are keeping a close watch in the little guy, weighing him regularly to make sure he's getting enough milk. So far, he's gaining weight regularly and is healthy and thriving. The pup will stay in the den for three to four weeks before venturing out to explore his habitat.
Red wolves are one of the most endangered animals in the world. They were declared extinct in the wild in 1980, but they were reintroduced in a five county area on the Albemarle Peninsula of eastern North Carolina in 1987. The population consists of 50-75 animals, and is the only wild population in the world right now.
However, that group is now alwo endangered. North Carolina's Wildlife Resources Commission has asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to end its reintroduction program and the state’s petition is currently being considering by the federal agency who will decide whether to keep the program, change it, or recall the animals into captivity.
There are approximately 200 red wolves living in accredited zoos and breeding facilities in the U.S. and they are managed as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan, which is working to save these animals from extinction.