Joe Kahlo
Edinburgh zoo has welcomed the arrival of an endangered pygmy hippo calf.
Born last month weighing just 11lb 14oz (5.4kg) to proud parents Otto and Gloria and is now going on show to the public.
The zoo’s hoofstock team leader, Jonny Appleyard, said: “Our new arrival is doing really well and is growing stronger and more confident every day.
“As she is still so young, we are limiting opening hours and numbers in our indoor viewing area to give the calf and mum Gloria some time to get used to visitors.
“The first 30 days are critical for her development, so we’ll be keeping a close eye on them both at this sensitive time and plan to name her in the coming weeks.”
These rare pygmy hippos populations are rapidly declining in their native land of West Africa, mainly due to habitat destruction by logging, farming and human settlements.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland are supporting the species and have published the first ever study looking at the genomics of pygmy hippos.
