Brookfield Zoo announces winning names for Mexican gray wolf puppies

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Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Mexican gray wolf puppies
Chicago Zoological Society

BROOKFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- After receiving more than 20,000 votes, the Brookfield Zoo has announced the winning names for three Mexican gray wolf puppies born in April!

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Puppies 1470, 1468 and 1469.
Chicago Zoological Society

The Brookfield Zoo said the names that received the most votes for the two male pups are Rio, meaning river in Spanish, and Azul, meaning blue in Spanish. Azul also signifies the Blue Range Mountains in Arizona, which is a release site for the Mexican gray wolf recovery program. The female puppy's name is Ela, which means Earth in Spanish.

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Mexican gray wolf puppies were born in May at the Brookfield Zoo.
Courtesy of Brookfield Zoo

The puppies are now fully weaned and have been eating solid food, mostly native prey such as deer and elk meat. They are growing fast and are very playful as they continue to explore their habitat at the zoo's Regenstein Wolf Woods.

Their brother and sister, Blaze and Brooke, were placed with the Elk Horn Pack in Arizona as part of a recovery program for the species.

To find out more about Mexican gray wolves and learn how you can help the wolf family, visit www.czs.org.