Parken Zoo is Sweden has announced a baby pygmy hippo which they have named Olivia. The baby was born on August 2nd just before 10 o’clock in the morning. The baby’s parents are Anton and Eskilstuana.
The baby has been dubbed a “little Michelin Man,” by zoologists which is hard to believe now after hearing her story. She started out at just 13 pounds and was struggling to put on weight.
Jennie West Anderson, a zoologist at Parken said “She is the cutest little fatty you can imagine,” as the Aftonbladet newspaper reported. This little cutie will one day grow up to be quite big but will only grow to be half the size of the larger common hippos.
Dad Anton only recently meet the baby when it was 3 ½ weeks of age. For 2 years she will live with her mom at Parken. Into the future though she will move to one of the other European Zoos so she can breed.
She may move to any of 56 other institutions which participate within the programme. 126 pygmy hippos live a healthy population. This contrasts with the population in the wild which is under threat. These animals are listed as endangered on the IUCN red list. They have come under threat from hunting and habitat loss.
Legend says that these hippos perspire blood. But it is just a red substance unique to this creature. Some believe that this has antibiotic or sun protection properties.
In the Wild of West Africa they live on a diet of grass and fruit. West Anderson says that at the moment she is small but will grow to have teeth which are amongst the biggest in the animal kingdom. These are used by hippos are formidable weapons. These are the weapon that have earned hippos as a reputation as one of the world’s most dangerous animals.
Photo Credit: Parken Zoo
