The Metro Richmond Zoo is celebrating the birth of a female pygmy hippopotamus calf, marking the third calf of the endangered species born at the zoo in the last five years. The new arrival is the second calf born to mother hippo Iris in December.
A female pygmy hippopotamus calf was born at the Metro Richmond Zoo in early December, marking the third calf of the endangered species to be born at the zoo in the last five years, officials said. The mother hippo Iris gave birth to the yet-to-be-named calf on Dec. 9 and the zoo is currently holding a contest to name the new arrival. A whopping 14,000 people flocked to vote on a potential moniker, and the options have been narrowed down to Poppy, Juniper, Hammie Mae, and Omi.
Iris keeps to a schedule. The new hippo is the second she has given birth to in December, according to the zoo. All three of her offspring have been female as well. “Most people don’t get a hippopotamus for Christmas at all, so we feel lucky to have received two over the years,” zoo officials said. The new baby had a neonatal exam and weighed in at 15 pounds, a mere fraction of the 600 pounds officials say fully grown pygmy hippos can boast. Hippos are usually a naturally polygamous species, but it’s been slim pickings for the pygmies over the last few decades. When the hippo was declared endangered in 2015, there were only about 2,500 mature ones left, and even then officials were pulling that from a 1993 population estimate, according to the news release. “This birth – like all of Iris’ births – plays an important role in helping protect this rare and elusive species. Unlike common hippos, pygmy hippos do not live in groups and are usually solitary or in pairs. For this reason, once Iris’ two previous calves grew up, they were moved to other zoological facilities to live with future mates and continue contributing to the conservation of their species,” the zoo wrote in the news release. Earlier this year, another baby pygmy hippo took the internet by storm
PYGMY HIPPO BIRTH METRO RICHMOND ZOO ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSERVATION
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
A hippopotamus for Christmas: Baby pygmy hippo born at Virginia zooChristmas came early for pygmy hippo parents at the Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia.
Read more »
New Baby Pygmy Hippo Arrives at Metro Richmond ZooThe Metro Richmond Zoo welcomes a healthy baby pygmy hippo, highlighting the importance of conservation for this threatened species.
Read more »
Baby Pygmy Hippo Born at Richmond ZooA baby pygmy hippo was born at the Metro Richmond Zoo on December 9, 2023.
Read more »
Metro Richmond Zoo Welcomes Baby Pygmy HippoThe Metro Richmond Zoo is celebrating the arrival of a newborn pygmy hippo, born just before the holidays. The baby hippo is the third calf for parents Iris and Corwin.
Read more »
Baby Pygmy Hippo Born at Metro Richmond ZooA new baby pygmy hippo has been born at the Metro Richmond Zoo, joining a recent trend of baby pygmy hippo births that signify important ecological progress for the endangered species.
Read more »
New Baby Pygmy Hippo Arrives at Metro Richmond ZooThe Metro Richmond Zoo welcomes a new baby pygmy hippo, joining the ranks of viral sensations like Moo Deng and Haggis. Fans can vote for the baby's name until New Year's Eve.
Read more »