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Painted Dog Puppies Debut at Saint Louis Zoo
Pups Kambala, Karroo, Mopani and
Teak now Roaming Rivers Edge
Seven-week-old African painted dog pups have started making appearances in their public habitat at the Saint Louis Zoo. The family has been bonding in a private maternity den behind the scenes since the pups’ births on Dec. 26, 2025.
The pups received their first well-baby check on Thursday, Feb. 12, when the Zoo’s Animal Health and Care teams identified their sexes. The three males, Kambala (pronounced kaem-bah-lah), Karroo and Teak, and one female, Mopani (pronounced mow-pah-nee), are named after African tree species that grow in habitats where African painted dogs are found in the wild.
Recently, mom, Chewie, and dad, Anubis, decided the pups are ready to venture beyond their private maternity den and into the public habitat. The family will make brief and irregular appearances going forward. These visits are entirely parent driven, and there is no set schedule when the pups will be visible. Providing the family with continued access to a private maternity den is an important part of their quality care.
These are the first pups for this species ever born at the Zoo, marking an important contribution to the African painted dog population in AZA accredited North American zoos.
Chewie and Anubis moved to the Saint Louis Zoo in 2024 and 2025, respectively, from other Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) zoos. The two were paired on a breeding recommendation by the AZA African Painted Dog Species Survival Plan (SSP), a cooperative program responsible for maintaining a genetically healthy population of endangered African painted dogs in North American zoos. The Zoo has been a proud partner of the AZA African Painted Dog SSP since 2014 and the Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) Program since 2025. The SSP works closely with global conservation partners to safeguard this species from extinction, making each successful birth a step forward for the future of the African painted dog.
Fewer Than 2,000 Left in the Wild
Once common throughout sub-Saharan Africa, there are now fewer than 2,000 African painted
dogs in the wild today. The species has lost approximately 90% of their habitat due to human
activity. In addition, diseases such as rabies and canine distemper from domestic dogs have had a
significant negative impact.
Since partnering with the AZA African Painted Dog SSP and the AZA SAFE Program, Zoo
scientists have conducted behavior observation studies, an extensive echocardiogram study and a
hormone assessment to further knowledge about this species to assist conservation efforts.
