CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Only a hippopotamus will do for Christmas at the Metro Richmond Zoo this year!
The zoo welcomed a female pygmy hippo on Dec. 6 to parents Iris and Corwin after a seven-month gestational period. The baby weighed a healthy 16 pounds and, in just one week, grew to 24.2 pounds.
The baby has yet to be named.
The zoo said Iris is an experienced mother and very caring of her baby. The calf has been nursing and is growing quickly.
Iris and her baby currently reside in a hay-bedded enclosure that is off exhibit. This gives privacy to mom and baby while they bond. Soon, they will be moved into the indoor pool area that is visible to guests so the baby can start swimming, the zoo said.
The Metro Richmond Zoo is currently the only place in Virginia where people can see hippos.
The pygmy hippo is native to West Africa and is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red list. With less than 2,500 mature individuals left in the wild, their survival in zoological parks is more certain than their survival in the wild. This birth plays an important role in helping protect this fascinating and rare species.
