A rare litter of Canadian wolves have been born in a British wildlife park for the first time in 300 years.

The seven Hudson Bay Wolf cubs have been born to mother Naira and father Maska in a Devon wildlife park. The cubs are now settling in their new home at the Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park in Lincolnshire.

Although other Hudson Bay Wolves live in captivity at a wildlife park, this is the first time wolves of this type have been born in the UK for several centuries.

The natural habitat of these animals is in Canada and Alaska. The park said that it is still unknown how many are left in the wild.

Park director Dawn Gilbert said, “This is a rather large litter for a first time mum. The average litter size is between four and six and not all of them generally survive. It is still early days yet but the pups are making strong progress and mum Naira is carrying out her role brilliantly”.

In July 2013, the park welcomed Naira and her sister, Saskia. A male wolf Maska joined them in February 2014. Now, the litter park officials are planning to drastically expand the animal’s living area.

For many years, wild wolves roamed the British countryside. They often ate livestock and sometimes even attacked people. The last one was thought to have been shot in the Scottish highlands in 1680.