An "incredibly rare" female baby hippopotamus was recently born at Edinburgh Zoo to parents Otto and Gloria.
As per BBC, the small pygmy hippo calf, an endangered species named Haggis arrived on October 30 and zookeepers say her personality is already “beginning to shine.”
Pygmy hippos, also called dwarf hippos, originate from West Africa.
Now, experts estimate that there are only about 2,500 left in the wild world wide.
Jonny Appleyard, the hoofstock team leader at Edinburgh Zoo, said in a statement, noting, “Haggis is doing really well so far and it is amazing to see her personality beginning to shine already."
He added, “The zoo's pygmy hippo house would now be closed for a month due to the first 30 days after birth being "critical" for Haggis' development.”
Similarly, in September a pygmy hippo in Thailand named Moo Deng went viral and gained a lot of attention and also became immensely popular in a series of memes due to her chubby body shape.
He further added, “While Thailand’s Moo Deng has become a viral global icon, it is important to remember that pygmy hippos are incredibly rare.
Mr Appleyard further elaborated, “It is great to have our own little ambassador right here in Edinburgh to connect with our visitors and help raise awareness of the challenges the species face in the wild.”
Parents Otto and Gloria first welcomed a calf, Amara, in 2022, which then went to ZSL London Zoo in 2023 as part of a European breeding program.
