Viral footage of an endangered group of African Painted Dogs getting their very first wellness check has warmed the hearts of international viewers on Facebook.
The Perth Zoo, located in South Perth, Australia, posted about the little pups on Thursday. "Adorable status: confirmed," the zoo joked in the caption. "The six African Painted Dog Puppies were given their first hands-on health check and passed with flying [colors]!"
The video shows one of the unnamed pups getting a physical exam from a veterinarian brought in by the zoo. The vet inspects its eyes, sharp teeth and ears as the pup sits patiently.
The vet technician also inspects its breathing and heart rates, before giving it a clean bill of health. The African Painted Dog is placed into a carrying crate to be returned to its enclosure, and the video ends as the pup reunites with its pack and runs around in the grass.
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According to a report from the Perth Zoo, the African Painted Dog, scientifically classified as Lycaon pictus, is a breed of mammals found in the African savannah usually "in packs of 30 or more."
The species in recent years, however, has been reclassified as critically "endangered."
"Once widespread across Africa, they are now reduced to small, scattered populations," the Perth Zoo reported. "African Painted Dogs are killed by farmers and rangers because they are thought to kill livestock. Painted Dogs also suffer from habitat loss and diseases from domestic dogs.
The Perth Zoo noted that they are working closely alongside a conservation outreach program to educate children as well as protect the species, specifically by "supporting painted dog anti-snaring teams to improve wild dog protection."
Though the African Painted Dogs may appear harmless as pups, they are more closely related to wolves than the modern domesticated dog and are not considered suitable as house pets, according to BBC Earth.
The video, which has since been viewed nearly 7,000 times, warmed the hearts of viewers in Australia and across the world. Facebook commenters were overwhelmed with the wellness visit, and expressed appreciation for the zoo's conservation efforts with the endangered species.
"Oh they are absolutely adorable, great to see them flourishing, you take such wonderful care of all your animals Perth Zoo," one fan commented. "I have always loved African Painted Dogs, such beautiful puppies. Look so healthy," another added.
The Perth Zoo also shared with viewers the news release in which they reveal gender of each of the six African Painted Dogs according to the vet's assessments.
"At just over two-months old, the young pups were given their first hands-on health check by the Perth Zoo vet team," the post confirmed. "They were each individually medically assessed, weighed, vaccinated just like domestic dogs and their gender was revealed — we have five males and one female!"
The report also noted that the pups have "started to explore beyond their birthing den and are getting up to some seriously adorable puppy antics," and encouraged readers to pay them special mind at their next zoo visit.
Newsweek reached out to the Perth Zoo for further comment on the video but did not hear back before publication.
In addition, a formerly "extinct" species of giant river otters in Argentina was recently rediscovered in the wild as two of the otters maintained in captivity gave birth to three pups.
