A sighthound that originates from Northern Africa, the Sloughi is one of the fastest dog breeds that can reach speeds up to 42mph. They were originally bred for hunting and still maintain a high prey ...

The dogs were born on November 5 and 6 to first-time mother Pele, a 3-year-old African painted dog who first arrived at the zoo in October 2021, according to a news release.

They aren't the only African painted dogs the zoo is caring for: The pups’ mother and father, Bleu and Maurice, are also being cared for by the zoo. “The puppies are now 11 weeks old.

African painted dogs are considered an endangered species due to human-wildlife conflict, habitat fragmentation, and disease. There are less than 7,000 adults left in the wild.

Three endangered African painted dog pups were born at the zoo on Sept. 28. The pups are living behind the scenes, but zoo officials say they may make their public debut soon.