Virginia Zoo's Newborn Pygmy Hippopotamus Seen in Photos, Video

What's New

A Virginia zoo recently welcomed a newborn pygmy hippo, fulfilling the wish of the classic holiday song "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas."

Why It Matters

The Metro Richmond Zoo, the only place in Virginia to see hippos, said that pygmy hippos are an endangered West African species with less than 2,500 mature hippos remaining in the wild.

"This birth—like all of Iris' births—plays an important role in helping protect this rare and elusive species," according to a news release from the zoo issued Tuesday.

This year another Pygmy hippo from a Thailand zoo named Moo Deng became an internet sensation. After rising to global fame, an official Moo Deng song by well-known Thai composer Mueanphet Ammar was released.

What To Know

A female pygmy hippo named Iris gave birth to a healthy female calf on December 9 at the Metro Richmond Zoo, according to Tuesday's news release.

The zoo shared multiple images and a short video of the newborn pygmy hippo on its official X (formerly Twitter) account.

The hippo, born after a seven-month gestation, weighed 15 pounds at her neonatal exam administered five days after birth. Fully grown pygmy hippos can weigh up to 600 pounds, according to zoo officials.

Iris and a male hippo named Corwin have had three female offspring together in the past four and a half years, including the newborn hippo. The baby hippo is the second calf born just before the holidays.

This was Iris' first water birth. Common hippos usually give birth underwater, but pygmy hippos can be born on land or in water.

"The baby's natural instincts kicked in and she started moving around in the water immediately," zoo officials said of the newborn hippo's birth, which was watched by many zoo keepers and a few zoo guests. "Iris and the baby were shifted into a cozy, hay-bedded enclosure off-exhibit. This gives mom and baby privacy while they bond."

The release added: "Iris is an experienced mother and very protective of her calf. The calf is nursing and growing quickly."

Pygmy hippos are different from common hippos as they do not live in groups and are usually solitary or coupled up, zoo officials said.

"For this reason, once Iris' two previous calves grew up, they were moved to other zoological facilities to live with future mates and continue contributing to the conservation of their species," according to Tuesday's news release.

What People Are Saying

Zoo officials said in Tuesday's news release: "Most people don't get a hippopotamus for Christmas at all, so we feel lucky to have received two over the years."

They called the experience of Iris bringing the baby hippo into this world a "miraculous birth."

What Happens Next

The baby hippo has yet to be named. The zoo could give her a comic name like Moo Deng, which means "bouncy pork" in Thai, which would probably help launch her into baby hippo stardom.

Guests will be able to see the baby hippo once she and her mother move back to the indoor pool area.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.

A hippo pictured at the Metro Richmond Zoo in Moseley, Virginia. A Virginia zoo recently welcomed a newborn pygmy hippo, fulfilling the wish of the classic holiday song "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas." Metro Richmond Zoo