For maned wolf pups, playtime is serious business! Keepers captured rare footage of Nikko and his six-month-old pup, Lu, enjoying a playful afternoon at the Zoo's conservation campus in Front Royal, Virginia. Natural parental care helps young wolves build the skills they need to thrive in adulthood. Learn more about our maned wolf pups in our latest pupdate! https://s.si.edu/4mlKYme | Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Let's get ready to RUUUMBLE! Join the wrestling pups via live webcam ➡️ https://bit.ly/2ZgSkNC Play is important for wolves of all ages, but especially pups. Playtime is fun and it strengthens family bonds and reaffirms social status within the pack. Research shows wolf pups are more likely to play on equal terms with wolves of similar age. This may act to reinforce the dominant adult and subordinate puppy hierarchy established outside of play. | Wolf Conservation Center