Colchester Zoo welcomes endangered pygmy hippo calf, netizens pour love

An endangered pygmy Hippopotamus, who was born at Colchester Zoo, the UK on May 9, took its first steps recently. According to reports, the female calf was born to mother Venus and father Freddie. Speaking about the newborn hippo, zoo officials have said that it will stay with mother for the first few years adding that people will be updated after it is named.

Pygmy Hippopotamus are endangered species and there are only 2000 of them living in the wild, international media reported citing officials. Often living apart and coming together during the breeding season, experts suggest that these animals like solitude. Meanwhile, Colchester Zoo has taken to social media to post an adorable picture of the calf which has now received over 336 likes and various comments. Along with the photograph, they have also revealed that both mother and child, were “doing well” and “happily moving around” in their enclosure.

'So Beautiful' 

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A few days ago, San Diego Zoo reportedly announced the first successful birth of a pygmy hippopotamus in more than three decades. Mabel, a 4-year-old pygmy hippo at the zoo, gave birth to a 12-pound male calf on April 9. The zoo announced the birth on Friday in recognition of Endangered Species Day and because the calf has been deemed healthy by animal experts at the zoo.

The calf, which has not been named, is meeting and surpassing milestones, including the ability to go underwater, the zoo said. There are fewer than 2,500 pygmy hippos living in rivers and streams in the forest of West Africa, the zoo said, and their species are threatened by logging, farming and human settlement in their habitat.

Read: First Pygmy Hippo Born At San Diego Zoo In About 30 Years

Read: Australia's Oldest Hippo Brutus Dies At 54, People Asked To Eat Watermelon In His Memories