SEVEN playful puppies who were born two months ago at Chester Zoo have been named.

The African wild pups comprises of three boys - Bakuru, Kendi and Hasani - and four girls - Mosi, Nuru, Eyasi and Bahati, they are the first of their kind to be bred at the zoo.

They are also known as painted dogs because of the multicoloured pattern on their fur, they are supreme predators, working together to bring down prey many times their size.

Despite their fearsome reputation they are one of Africa’s most threatened carnivores and are listed as endangered.

Team manager of carnivores at the zoo Dave Hall said: “It’s fascinating to watch the pups play and the family dynamic of the pack develop.

"The adult dogs are very protective of the youngsters and dad, Ville, is extremely attentive to them.

"From the start, he took food into the den for K’mana when she was suckling the pups and he’s now doing his bit to discipline them and police how much they’re all eating.

“As they grow in size, they grow in confidence.

"The family dynamic is different every day and it’s great to see some strong bonds forming between individuals.”