First Endangered Pygmy Hippo Born At San Diego Zoo In Three Decades

May 26, 2020 by apost team

Welcome to the world, little pygmy hippo! The first of his species was born in thirty years at the San Diego Zoo in April 2020, to the relief of zoologists everywhere as the pygmy hippo is on the endangered species list.

The male calf was born to mother Mabel, a 4-year-old pygmy hippo who resides at the San Diego Zoo in California. The zoo announced his birth on May 15, 2020, and according to their statement, the little creature was born just before 9 a.m on April 9th, coming in at 12.4 pounds.

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Wildlife care specialists at the zoo were happy to report that both Mabel and her son are doing very well. The newborn, who has not been named, was following his mother a mere hours after he was born. He is also nursing well and Mabel is taking to first-time motherhood smoothly.

Pygmy hippos are native to West Africa in the countries of Guinea, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Sierra Leone. Sadly, their habitats are being encroached upon and as a result the pygmy hippo is considered endangered. In fact, only about 2,500 pygmy hippos now live in the wild in Africa.

Zoo staffers are now working on keeping the family happy and healthy, gradually introducing the now 25-pound calf to more of his enclosure (including water features) and he will eventually join the main habitat.

The zoo has not yet announced a name, but maybe there will be a pygmy hippo naming contest in the future. If so, what name would you submit for this mini hippopotamus?