Endangered Pygmy Hippo Born At San Diego Zoo

SAN DIEGO, CA — The San Diego Zoo on Friday announced the latest addition to the zoo family — a pygmy hippopotamus. The birth was the first of its kind at the zoo in more than 30 years.

Mabel, a 4-year-old pygmy hippo, gave birth to the male calf April 9 in an indoor habitat for the endangered species at the San Diego Zoo. The calf weighed 12.4 pounds.

"Wildlife care specialists report that the calf — which has not been named — stood, walked and followed Mabel around within just a few hours of being born," San Diego Zoo Global said in a statement. "Mom and calf are doing very well, they said, and the calf is nursing and getting lots of attention from the first-time mother."

The calf has been "surpassing the milestones that wildlife care specialists watch for in a young pygmy hippo," according to the zoo.

The unnamed month-old calf, which now weighs 25 pounds, has explored water and demonstrated the natural hippo instincts to close his nostrils and hold his breath under water.

The calf and his mother now have full access to the pool in the maternity yard. It will be about another month before the pair have access to the main habitat, where they will be rotated with the 13-year-old male pygmy hippo, Elgon, according to the zoo.

The calf will not be introduced to his father because pygmy hippos don't live in family groups, and males don't play a role in raising offspring, according to the zoo.

The zoo announced the birth on Endangered Species Day.

Pygmy hippos are an endangered species that live in rivers and streams in the forests of West Africa. They are found in only four countries: Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. According to the zoo, there are fewer than 2,500 pygmy hippos in the wild due to threats that include farming, logging and human settlement.