The North Carolina Zoo announces the birth of five critically endangered American red wolves as part of its American red wolf breeding program. The five new pups – three males, two females – were born Tuesday, April 21. The pups and their mother are all healthy and doing well.

There are currently only 15-20 red wolves found in the wild, only in eastern North Carolina, making them the most endangered canid in the world.

In celebration of North Carolina, the rare pups were named after plants found in the state. The names for the males are Oak (Appalachian Oak), Cedar (Red Cedar) and Sage (Azure Sage). The females are named Lily (Carolina Lily, the state’s wildflower) and Aster (Piedmont Aster). They are the offspring of Piglet (female) and Jewell (male). This is the first litter for this pair.

This litter brings the number of red wolves in the Zoo’s breeding program to 25, making