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A pygmy hippopotamus was born at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland at the end of October. The baby, which has been named Haggis, is an endangered species with only around 2,500 believed to remain in the wild. Pygmy hippos are also known as dwarf hippos and are native to West Africa. Haggis is the second calf to be born to parents Otto and Gloria; the first calf, Amara, was born in 2017 and moved to ZSL London Zoo in 2018 as part of a breeding programme.
The birth has been described as “incredibly rare” and a cause for celebration, as Haggis could help to raise awareness of the challenges facing pygmy hippos. The species is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to factors such as habitat loss and hunting. Moo Deng, a pygmy hippo in Thailand, received international attention earlier this year and became the focus of numerous memes due to her large size.
Haggis is said to be doing well so far, with her personality already showing signs of emerging. However, the first 30 days of her life are considered to be critical for her development, so the zoo’s pygmy hippo house will be closed for a month. Staff at the zoo hope that visitors will be able to connect with Haggis and learn more about the challenges faced by her species.
Jonny Appleyard, hoofstock team leader at Edinburgh Zoo, highlighted the importance of raising awareness of the plight of pygmy hippos. “It is great to have our own little ambassador right here in Edinburgh to connect with our visitors and help raise awareness of the challenges the species face in the wild”, he said. Zoos play an important role in conservation efforts for endangered species, and Haggis may prove to be an invaluable addition to the pygmy hippo breeding programme
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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