TAMPA, Fla. — ZooTampa welcomed a rare and endangered pygmy hippo on Sunday night (March 31).
According to a release from the zoo, the female pygmy hippopotamus weighed about 10 pounds and hasn't been named yet.
The baby and her mother, 20-year-old Zsa Zsa, are doing well.
Fewer than 3,000 pygmy hippos are left in the wild. They're similar to the river hippopotamus but are a different species. The pygmy hippo can weigh 10 times less than the river hippo, lives primarily on land, and is predominantly nocturnal.
“We are very excited to welcome this healthy female calf to ZooTampa. 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,” said Chris Massaro, Senior VP, Zoological Operations.
