It’s adorable, and it’s great news for the conservation of the species. A pygmy hippopotamus was born at Lagos Zoo on October 19, weighing three kilos and seemingly healthy.
Says the zoo, the calf is being kept in an enclosure with its mother and will remain separated from its father until it is weaned.
For now, it is too early to know the sex of the calf, it adds.
“In this species, the birth of males is very important since, on average, only one male is born for every 10 births. We hope to know soon if this baby is male or female,” the zoo says.
Either way, the birth of the hippo is great news for the species, which falls under the EEP (European Endangered Species Programme) captive breeding programme of the EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquariums).
