Eight week old pygmy hippo calf, Georgina, born at Zoological Society of London (ZSL) Whipsnade Zoo. Photo courtesy of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo.
A new pygmy hippo calf has been born at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) Whipsnade Zoo. Named Georgina, the calf is the second for parents Flora and Tapon.
Found in the rainforests of West Africa, pygmy hippos (Choeropsis liberiensis) are listed as Endangered by the IUCN Red List and are rarely seen. The species, which is extremely sensitive to environmental changes, faces vast deforestation and hunting throughout its habitat. Recent conservation efforts have recorded pygmy hippos on remote camera traps in Liberia.
‘Georgina enjoys taking a dip, paddling around, and blowing bubbles under the water,’ says Africa section team leader, Mark Holden. Photo courtesy of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo.
Georgina. Photo courtesy of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo.
Georgina. Photo courtesy of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo.
Georgina. Photo courtesy of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo.