The Toronto Zoo says its endangered pygmy hippopotamus has given birth.
The birth occurred on Sunday, the zoo announced Wednesday. Staff observed 20-year-old Kindia showing signs that labour was underway at about 8:15 a.m.
Tiny feet appeared around 12:15 p.m., and after approximately 1.5 hours of active labour, the female calf was born, the zoo said.
“The calf began attempting to stand within approximately 15 minutes of birth and, within a few hours, was confidently navigating the space. She was seen nursing approximately 4.5 hours after birth, and throughout the night while Zoo professionals monitored her via cameras,” a news release states.
It added both Kindia and the calf are doing well and resting together in a space not accessible to guests. The calf is Kindia’s third.
Kindia was introduced to a 31-year-old male pygmy hippo for eight days in January, which led to the pregnancy,
“Pygmy hippos are endangered, and their wild populations continue to decline due to habitat loss and human pressures. This birth represents the critical role modern accredited zoos play in conservation, scientific collaboration, and maintaining healthy populations that contribute to the long-term survival of the species,” Dolf DeJong, CEO of the Toronto Zoo, said in the release.
“At your Toronto Zoo, it also reflects our mission of connecting people, animals, conservation science, and traditional knowledge to fight extinction, and reminds us that every species saved is the result of collective action and shared responsibility.”
Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 pygmy hippos are believed to remain in the wild, the zoo said.
Native to the forests and swamps of West Africa, they rely on dense, undisturbed habitats to survive. However, logging, mining, agriculture and human settlement, as well as hunting, continue to impact wild populations, it added.
