Whipsnade Zoo of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL Whipsnade Zoo) on December 26, 2014 received one of the most enjoyable Christmas gifts in its history … the birth of a rare pygmy hippopotamus cub.
The tiny male pygmy hippopotamus is an invaluable gift for old world zoparks, as they just have an acute shortage of males for the European pygmy hippopotamus breeding program.
Just like the common hippopotamus, the pygmy hippopotamus leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle, however, unlike ordinary hippos, which form compact flocks that protect their territories, pygmy hippos live alone and are not inclined to defend their territory.
These animals were discovered by the German zoologist G. Schomburgk in 1911. Now they are under the threat of extinction, since the current population of the species in the wild is no more than a thousand individuals. The main reasons for the extinction of the pygmy hippopotamus were deforestation and uncontrolled slaughter. Civil wars in the habitats of the species made it impossible to research and protect it.
Promotional video: