A hippopotamus for Christmas: Baby pygmy hippo born at Virginia zoo
A Virginia zoo is celebrating the arrival of an adorable newborn pygmy hippo who made her debut just before Christmas.
The baby hippo, a girl who has not yet been named, was born to parents Iris and Corwin at Metro Richmond Zoo on Dec. 9. She’s their third female calf in under five years. The zoo said Iris was all smiles on Christmas morning.
“Most people don’t get a hippopotamus for Christmas at all, so we feel lucky to have received two over the years,” the zoo said. Iris and Corwin’s previous calf was born on Dec. 6, 2022.
Metro Richmond Zoo via AP
Iris delivered her latest newborn after a seven-month gestation, zoo officials said. She gave birth in an indoor pool.
“The baby’s natural instincts kicked in and she started moving around in the water immediately,” the zoo said on its website.
The mom and newborn are currently being kept in an enclosure that is not on exhibit to give them privacy while they bond.
“Iris is an experienced mother and very protective of her calf,” the zoo said. “The calf is nursing and growing quickly.”
The new pygmy hippo was weighed when she was 5 days old and came in at a healthy 15 pounds, the zoo said. She could grow to weigh up to 600 pounds.
Metro Richmond Zoo via AP
Her birth will help preserve the species, which is endangered.
Fewer than 2,500 mature pygmy hippos remain in the wild, according to the zoo. The species is native to the swamps and rivers of West Africa, where it’s threatened by poaching and loss of habitat.
Pygmy hippos do not live in groups, so after they grew up, Iris’ two previous calves were moved to other zoological facilities “to live with future mates and continue contributing to the conservation of their species,” the zoo said.
The species is nocturnal, and the zoo says they can live up to 55 years.
Earlier this year, a newborn baby hippo in Thailand named Moo Deng became a global sensation when a zookeeper started sharing her cutest moments on social media.