Compact like a loaf of mixed bread: progeny of pygmy hippos at Berlin Zoo
Two tiny hippos recently entered the world on a Monday, during the past week. Their unique gestation period lasted 207 days, making them quite a rarity since only one percent of dwarf hippopotamuses are born as twins. Unfortunately, the odds of survival aren't in their favor. Hippo mom Debbie from the Berlin Zoo has previously raised little ones in 2004, 2007, and 2008.
The dwarf hippos are an endangered species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature states that there are under 2,500 adult dwarf hippos remaining in their natural environment in West Africa. The primary danger they face is from us humans, who contribute to the destruction of their habitat through mining and agricultural activities.
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The newborn pygmy hippos at Berlin Zoo are remarkably small, much like a loaf of mixed bread. Despite their small size, they are young talents, having navigated a unique 207-day gestation period. Berlin Zoo, known as the Berlin Zoological Garden, has a history of nurturing pygmy hippos, with mom Debbie raising young ones in previous years. Visitors to the Zoo in Berlin can potentially catch a glimpse of these endangered species, with fewer than 2,500 adult pygmy hippos remaining in their natural habitat in West Africa.
