A female pygmy hippo calf was born at Toronto Zoo on August 2!
Within 15 minutes of her birth, the little baby hippo was trying to stand. And after a few hours, she was walking around her enclosure and nursing from her mother, Kindia.
The baby, named Maple, is Kindia’s third calf. Kindia has been very attentive to the newborn, but the Toronto Zoo animal care team will still closely monitor Maple to ensure her healthy development.
Watch a video of Maple’s birth:
Pygmy hippopotamuses inhabit the forests and swamps of West Africa. They are endangered, with only 2000-3000 pygmy hippos alive in the wild. Threats include habitat loss and fragmentation as well as hunting.
Toronto Zoo works with other organizations in Ivory Coast to help understand pygmy hippos and figure out ways to protect them. If you would like to support the zoo in their conservation efforts, visit their website.
To learn more about hippos, see our article, Hippopotamus.
