An “incredibly rare” female baby hippopotamus has been born at Edinburgh Zoo.
The tiny endangered pygmy hippo calf, named Haggis, arrived on 30 October and zookeepers said her personality was “beginning to shine” already.
Pygmy hippos, otherwise known as dwarf hippos, are native to West Africa and experts believe there are only about 2,500 left in the wild worldwide.
In September, a pygmy hippo in Thailand called Moo Deng went viral and was featured in a series of memes due to her frame and podgy proportions.
Jonny Appleyard, the hoofstock team leader at Edinburgh Zoo, said: “Haggis is doing really well so far and it is amazing to see her personality beginning to shine already.”
Edinburgh Zoo has welcomed a female hippopotamus, which is “incredibly rare.”.
According to zookeepers, Haggis, the small endangered pygmy hippo calf, arrived on October 30 and her personality was already “beginning to shine.”.
Pygmy hippos, also called dwarf hippos, are indigenous to West Africa, and experts estimate that there are only roughly 2,500 of these animals remaining in the wild globally.
Moo Deng, a pygmy hippo from Thailand, gained popularity in September and was the subject of numerous memes because of her podgy proportions and frame.
Edinburgh Zoo’s hoofstock team leader, Jonny Appleyard, stated: “Haggis is doing excellently so far, and it’s wonderful to see her personality starting to emerge already. “.”.
The pygmy hippo house at the zoo will now be closed for a month, he added, because Haggis’ development is “critical” during the first 30 days after birth.
Because of habitat loss and hunting for food in Liberia, among other reasons, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN) has classified the species as endangered.
“While Thailand’s Moo Deng has become a viral global icon, it is important to remember that pygmy hippos are extremely rare,” Mr. Appleyard continued.
“Having our very own ambassador in Edinburgh to interact with guests and help spread the word about the difficulties the species faces in the wild is tremendous. “.”.
Amara was a calf that Otto and Gloria had previously welcomed in 2021 and who, as part of a European breeding program, later relocated to ZSL London Zoo in 2023.
After the hippo gained enormous popularity and caused a spike in zoo visitors last month, Khao Kheow Open Zoo had to issue a warning to guests not to attempt to wake up Moo Deng.
