Common Wolf has been born! (Updated 5/8: Added an update on the mother and cub's current condition)

Current status of mother and child (as of May 7, 2026)

On the morning of April 26th, when the birth was confirmed via surveillance cameras, all three cubs were seen moving. Since then, animal keeper have been prioritizing creating a quiet environment so that the mother can raise her cubs in peace, and have been remotely observing the mother and cubs via surveillance cameras.

The mother appeared calm and was gradually moving away from her offspring, so on May 2nd, animal keeper checked on them directly through the window. They found that two of the offspring were still alive, but the third one was nowhere to be seen. Although they checked several more times afterward, they were unable to find the third offspring, so unfortunately, it is presumed that it has died.

The two cubs have continued to grow, and on May 7th, camera footage confirmed that the cubs' eyes had opened. They have also been seen moving around actively, climbing onto their mother Sui's back and crawling between her legs.

Sui spends most of her day with her baby, taking good care of it by licking it and nursing it. Although the father, Kayoran, is not allowed to approach the nest, he has been seen feeding Sui from a distance away from it.

The wolf exhibit will remain closed, and we will continue to create an environment where the mother and cubs can raise their young in peace. We ask for your continued warm support.

We are pleased to announce that Common Wolf (subspecies: Common Wolf) has been born at Tama Zoo. This marks the first successful breeding since the wolf was put on display in the "Asian Plains" exhibit in 2013.

A newborn Common Wolf (subspecies: Common Wolf)

Progress

Our zoo began keeping Common Wolf in 2001 in Asian Zone Carnivore House (part of the current tiger enclosure). Breeding was observed from 2005 onwards, enabling us to exhibit a wolf pack, a natural habitat for wolves. In 2013, we moved the pack to the newly opened "Asian Plains" area.

Subsequently, as the individuals aged, we received new potential pairs ("Sui" and "Kayoran") from European zoos in 2024 and 2025.

The two wolves began living together in April 2025, and mating was confirmed in mid-February 2026, during the breeding season. From around mid-April, clear signs of pregnancy were observed, such as hair loss on the abdomen, exposed nipples, and swollen mammary glands. However, since pseudopregnancy (*) is a possibility in wolves, careful observation continued.

On April 25th, the zookeepers visually confirmed fetal movement, and also observed unusual behaviors such as chasing away Kayoran, who was living with her, restless pacing, and frequent digging.

On the morning of April 26th, a check of the surveillance camera footage revealed that the first calf was born at 7:37 AM, followed by the birth of two more calves. Sui is diligently caring for her offspring, licking them and showing them affection.

Regarding the release schedule

Currently, we have suspended the exhibition of wolves, including mother and cub, in order to ensure a calm environment for raising their offspring. We plan to reopen the exhibition once the mother and cub's health has stabilized. Further information regarding the exhibition of the mother and cub will be posted on Tama Zoo website.

Animal care status at Tama Zoo (as of April 26, 2026)

5 individuals (1 male, 1 female, 3 of unknown sex) *This includes the offspring born this time.
* Tama Zoo is the only zoo in Japan that keeps the Common Wolf subspecies.