Endangered pygmy hippopotamus born at Scottish Zoo

Lianna Kolirin, CNN

(CNN) — Her name is what Scottish how will it work out, but not enough Haggis is far from her natural home.

The forests and swamps of West Africa – especially Liberia – are home to the pygmy hippopotamus, but there are only 2,500 left in the wild today, according to the agency. International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN).

So the appearance of one of these endangered creatures at Edinburgh Zoo last month was met with understandable excitement.

The hippo house was temporarily closed “to allow our experienced keepers to closely monitor mom and baby during this challenging time,” the zoo said in a statement, along with a video of the adorable new arrival on the zoo’s website. X.

The female was born to parents Otto and Gloria on October 30th. The couple are also the parents of Amara, who was born in 2021 but was transferred to London Zoo last year as part of Europe’s breeding program for endangered species.

“Haggis is doing very well so far and it’s amazing to see her personality already starting to shine through,” said Jonny Appleyard, hoof team leader at Edinburgh Zoo. media statement posted on the Internet.

“The first 30 days are crucial for her development, so the pygmy hippo house will remain closed for now so we can closely monitor mother and baby during this difficult time.”

The news became hot news for social media sensation Moo Deng at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand earlier this year. Pygmy hippopotamus Mu Deng (which means “jumping pig” in Thai and is a popular pork dish known for its chewiness) has attracted millions of fans since her keepers began uploading snippets of her daily life since her arrival in July.

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