Endangered pygmy hippo born in Scottish zoo

By CNN

Published November 6, 2024 9:11 AM

CNN

By Lianne Kolirin, CNN

(CNN) — Her name is as Scottish as it gets, but little Haggis is a long way from her natural home.

The forests and swamps of West Africa – particularly Liberia – are the native stomping ground of pygmy hippos, but there are believed to be only 2,500 remaining in the wild today, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN).

So the arrival of one of these endangered creatures at Edinburgh Zoo last month has been met with understandable excitement.

The hippo house has been temporarily closed “so that our expert keepers can keep a close eye on mum and baby at this sensitive time,” the zoo said in a message alongside a video of the adorable new arrival on X.

The female calf was born to parents Otto and Gloria on October 30. The pair are also parents to Amara, who was born in 2021 but was moved to London Zoo last year as part of the European breeding program for the endangered species.

“Haggis is doing really well so far and it is amazing to see her personality beginning to shine already,” Jonny Appleyard, hoofstock team leader at Edinburgh Zoo, said in a media statement posted online.

“The first 30 days are critical for her development, so the pygmy hippo house will be closed for now to allow us to keep a close eye on mum and baby at this sensitive time.”

The news comes hot on the trotters of social media sensation Moo Deng at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand earlier this year. Also a pygmy hippo, Moo Deng – which means “bouncy pig” in Thai and is a popular pork dish known for its chewiness – has attracted millions of fans since her keepers started uploading snippets of her daily life since her arrival in July.

Appleyard added: “While Thailand’s Moo Deng has become a viral global icon, it is important to remember that pygmy hippos are incredibly rare. It is great to have our own little ambassador right here in Edinburgh to connect with our visitors and help raise awareness of the challenges the species face in the wild.”