Hungry hungry Hippo: Endangered pygmy hippo calf born at Tampa zoo

Nikki DeMarco
·1 min read
Hungry hungry Hippo: Endangered pygmy hippo calf born at Tampa zoo

It’s a girl!

ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.

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The yet unnamed calf was born March 31 and weighed around ten pounds.

The birth marks the fifth endangered pygmy hippo calf born at the Zoo.

Photos: Hungry, Hungry Hippo! Endangered pygmy hippo born in Central Florida

ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is celebrating the birth of rare and endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
Hungry, Hungry Hippo! Endangered pygmy hippo born in Central Florida
Hungry, Hungry Hippo! Endangered pygmy hippo born in Central Florida
Hungry, Hungry Hippo! Endangered pygmy hippo born in Central Florida
Hungry, Hungry Hippo! Endangered pygmy hippo born in Central Florida
Hungry, Hungry Hippo! Endangered pygmy hippo born in Central Florida
Hungry, Hungry Hippo! Endangered pygmy hippo born in Central Florida
Hungry, Hungry Hippo! Endangered pygmy hippo born in Central Florida
Hungry, Hungry Hippo! Endangered pygmy hippo born in Central Florida
Hungry, Hungry Hippo! Endangered pygmy hippo born in Central Florida
Hungry, Hungry Hippo! Endangered pygmy hippo born in Central Florida

20-year-old Zsa Zsa, an experienced mother and first-time dad 22-year-old Howie were paired as part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP), overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums which ensures the survival of protected, threatened, and endangered species

“We are very excited to welcome this healthy female calf to ZooTampa,” said Chris Massaro, Senior VP, Zoological Operations. “Conservation efforts for species like the pygmy hippo take lots of work and require collaboration across international boundaries. Every birth is a sign of hope and helps save endangered species for future generations to enjoy, appreciate and cherish.”

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While they make look similar, and his related to the river hippopotamus, the pygmy hippo is a different species.

River hippos can weigh up to 10 times more than a pygmy hippo and can be more than twice as large.

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Pygmy hippos spend more time on land than in the water and are predominately nocturnal as well.

According to a new release, fewer than 3,000 pygmy hippos are left in the wild in four countries of West Africa.

Conservation organizations and governments are actively working to protect the pygmy hippopotamus and its habitat.

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