A pair of endangered wild dogs has joined the pack at Franklin Park Zoo, the first time the species has been at the Boston institution in eight years.
African painted dogs Madikwe and Moremi, 6-year-old sisters, are on display at the zoo in the former hyena habitat, the zoo said Friday.
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"These animals are incredible ambassadors for their species, and through them we can further connect guests to the incredible biodiversity of our planet, build empathy, and hopefully inspire caring and action on behalf of African painted dogs and other wildlife that share their habitat," Zoo New England President and CEO John Linehan said in a statement.
There are believed to be as few as 7,000 African painted dogs, also known as African wild dogs, left in the sub-Saharan savannas and woodlands where they're from, down from as many as half a million, according to the zoo — though the World Wildlife Fund puts the population of the endangered species at 1,409. The last time the Franklin Park Zoo had African painted dogs was 2015, it said.
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