Cute, huh? Just wait until they corner you in a dark forest in a few years. Photo courtesy of the National Zoo.

Two of the National Zoo’s adorable (for now) maned wolf pups that were born in January need names, and the zoo is again leaving the decision up to the public.

Yesterday the zoo announced that it would open voting on four proposed names for two of the four pups on its Facebook page. The female pup could be Bela, Estrella, Pinga, or Terra; the male could be Canastra, Cerrado, Rocko, or Timido. Currently, Bella and Rocko are leading in votes.

Why the Portuguese names? The little beasts hail from Brazil, says the zoo:

Maned wolves live in central South America. With approximately 20,000 left in the wild, the species is considered near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The species’ primary threats include habitat loss and degradation, and human conflict. Currently only 20 percent of natural maned wolf habitat remains, and only 5 percent of that habitat is protected. The National Zoo has two maned wolves on exhibit at its Cheetah Conservation Station.

This is the first maned wolf litter born at the National Zoo’s Front Royal facility in two years, and it will play an important role in helping researchers maintain a viable, self-sustaining population under human care.

More great pics are available at the zoo’s Flickr site. Voting will remain open until March 30, so let your voice be heard!