On Wednesday, the Zoo announced the birth of a female pygmy hippopotamus calf, Meela.
Meela was born on May 27th to zoo resident Lola. The Zoo says Meela’s birth is a special one because the pygmy hippo is an endangered species.This is the sixth pygmy hippo birth in the last seven years for Montgomery Zoo. The other recent calves born at the Montgomery Zoo include Monty in 2016 and Levi in 2018. Both are now living at the Greater Richmond Zoo in Virginia.
The pygmy hippopotamus is a large mammal native to the forests and swamps of western Africa. A cousin of the much larger common hippopotamus, the pygmy hippo is semi-aquatic and relies on proximity to water to maintain moisturized skin and a cool body temperature. Reclusive and nocturnal, it is a difficult animal to study in the wild. However, pygmy hippos have a history of breeding well in captivity. The World Conservation Union estimates that less than 3,000 pygmy hippos remain in the wild.
Though pygmy hippos share the same general form as the hippopotamus, they grow to approximately half the height and one-quarter of the weight of their larger cousins. Fully grown, the pygmy hippo typically reaches 30-32 inches in height, 59-70 inches in length, and 400-600 lbs. in weight. It is estimated that pygmy hippos can grow to ten times their birth weight by five months.
You can visit Meela, Lola and the other adult pygmy hippopotamuses in their permanent exhibit in the Africa realm of the zoo.
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