The staff at the San Diego Zoo are currently welcoming their first successful pygmy hippopotamus birth in over 30 years.
Mabel, a 4-year-old pygmy hippopotamus, gave birth to her first calf in April this year, which is during the coronavirus pandemic.
The new addition to the family is still to be named.
In a statement that was released by the San Diego Zoo said that the hippo Mabel gave birth to walked with her mother hours after it was born.
The San Diego Zoo added:
Mom and calf are doing very well, the calf is nursing and getting lots of attention from the first-time mother.
The baby was born weighing around 12 pounds and now it is at around 25 pounds.
The zoo said:
The calf demonstrated the natural adaptations and instincts of pygmy hippos—to close their nostrils and to hold their breath under water—and today, both Mabel and the calf have full access to the pool in the maternity yard.
Pygmy hippos are currently listed as Endangered animals in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.
There are only less than 2,500 pygmy hippos living in Africa.
The hippos are known for living in rivers and streams located in West African forests, mostly in Liberia.
There are still a small population left in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast.
Welcome to this amazing world!