By Allison Blair Parade Pets
Updated April 8, 2026 9:22 AMGift Article
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One of the things that has boggled my mind ever since I was a child is the fact that there are probably hundreds of thousands, if not millions of species in the world that I have never seen and will never see in my life. So many of them went extinct millions of years before I was born!
Some species are going extinct right before our eyes, though. For example, the Ethiopian Wolf. This wolf species has fewer than 500 left worldwide, and they look like the sweetest little pups in the world! You have to see them:
Nat Geo Animals is always where I go when I’m looking to learn something new about animals, and for good reason. They’re always there! It’s only fitting that they teach the world about Ethiopian Wolves!
In the video Nat Geo posted, the Ethiopian Wolves are all pups. Though they’re definitely wolves, and one of the rarest species of wolves at that… Those just look like puppies to me. I could totally convince one to be my pet and snuggle with me. Right?
They’re playing pretty rough in this video, which is a quintessential learning behavior for most young animals. Wolves, puppies, and even cheetah cubs play like this. It helps hone their hunting instincts and grow their motor skills!
How Do Wolves Raise Their Pups?
Wolf pups are born into packs, and the entire pack gets their paws dirty to help out. Wolves stay with their young for about a year, sometimes two, before they strike out on their own to form their own packs.
In that year or two, wolf pups will:
- Wean (at about 3 months old).
- Play.
- Learn essential pack structure.
- Begin to hunt with the older wolves.
Eventually, they start hunting on their own, and then they’ll leave their pack to start their own. Most never see their families again, but for that time when they’re young, they’re as close as close can get.
There Are Fewer Than 500 Ethiopian Wolves
The Ethiopian Wolf can only be found in the Ethiopian Highlands, which is a rugged, mountainous region that runs from the horn of Africa to a little bit west. They’re stunning, with gingery-colored fur and sweet little ears!
Unfortunately, these wolves are critically endangered, and they face more and more threats every day. Some of the biggest factors that impact their population are:
- Habitat loss due to agriculture.
- Diseases spread by stray domestic dogs (rabies/distemper, heartworm, etc.).
- Humans, who will kill them for going after their livestock.
Their population is still decreasing, but little pups like these give everyone hope. They’re truly so beautiful!
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This story was originally published April 8, 2026 at 9:00 AM.