Tanganyika gets hippopotamus for Christmas
Tanganyika Wildlife Park is celebrating an early Christmas present -- the birth of a baby Pygmy hippopotamus.
GODDARD, Kan. (KSNW) -- Tanganyika Wildlife Park is celebrating an early Christmas present -- the birth of a baby Pygmy hippopotamus.
The little boy was born on Dec. 14 and weighed 13 pounds.
Tanganyika says this is extra special because Pygmy hippos are a rare and critically endangered species. There are fewer than 3,000 worldwide.
"Every Pygmy hippo birth, whether in human care or in their native habitat, is critical for their ongoing survival," Dr. Samantha Russak, Tanganyika’s chief of research and welfare, said in a news release.
Plus, there is a need for male hippos in the breeding program, so the hope is that this baby boy will eventually be able to help.
His parents are Posie and Pluto, who have become key players in the safeguarding of the species. The baby is their fourth calf.
"Posie is an attentive mother, nursing well and keeping the baby close— a true professional!" Hoofstock Keeper Sierra Smith said.
Tanganyika Wildlife Park is one of only 30 facilities housing Pygmy hippos in the U.S. When it is open for visitors from March through November, guests can visit the hippos and help with feeding them.
"The support and engagement of our visitors are crucial in creating awareness about the importance of preserving endangered species like the pygmy hippopotamus," Russak said.
For more information on the hippos and Tanganyika Wildlife Park, visit twpark.com.