Every so often, we hear about a zoo's management excitedly announcing that a new animal from an endangered species was born at their facility.
And as we can see in their press and social media releases, not only do these newborn critters tend to be adorable, but they're a symbol of hope for that species' survival in the face of some overwhelming challenges.
But as much as these moments are a cause for celebration, it's hard for some of us not to wonder if such moments only delay the inevitable. Because when an animal is functionally extinct in the wild, that introduces some serious doubt as to how its species will eventually fare in general.
However, if anything can remind us not to count critically endangered animals out prematurely, it just might be the progress of red wolves
Because not only are we in the process of seeing these animals rebound from what seemed like certain extinction, but they're actually managing to do so in the wild.