The Toronto Zoo in Canada has shared good news with the arrival of a new pygmy hippo calf, the third born to 20-year-old female Kindia.
According to the zoo, Kindia began showing signs of labor around 8:15 a.m. last Sunday. About four hours later, the calf's feet appeared, and after 1.5 hours of active pushing, Kindia successfully delivered.
Within just 15 minutes of birth, the calf began trying to stand, and just a few hours later was “confidently moving around the enclosure.” The zoo also noted that the calf nursed about 4.5 hours after birth.
The zoo has not yet named the calf but confirmed it is developing well alongside its mother. Kindia became pregnant after being paired with male Harvey, 31, over an eight-day period in January.
In a statement, the zoo said: “This wonderful news comes with both hope and caution. Kindia successfully raised a daughter, Penelope, in 2018, but the survival rate for this species can be challenging. Our team will continue to monitor both mother and calf around the clock during these critical early days to ensure they both progress well.”
Dolf DeJong, CEO of the Toronto Zoo, emphasized: “Welcoming a pygmy hippo calf is not just a joy of new life. Pygmy hippos are endangered, and the wild population continues to decline due to habitat loss and human pressures. This birth highlights the important role of modern zoos in conservation, scientific collaboration, and maintaining healthy populations that contribute to the species' long-term survival.”
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the pygmy hippo is listed as endangered, with an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 individuals remaining in the wild.
Adult pygmy hippos weigh between 150kg and 300kg, stand about 75cm tall, and are primarily found in the forests and swamps of West Africa. In recent decades, the species has faced increasing threats to its habitat from logging, mining, agricultural activities, and the expansion of human settlements.
