When you think of adorable animals, I would venture to guess that puppies and kitties are the first to come to mind. Then maybe you'd think of otters, sloths, baby bears, and other furry, fuzzy animals.
Well, this newborn pygmy hippo might make you reconsider. Hippos can grow up to be one of the most aggressive wild animals, but that doesn't mean there's not a certain "aww" factor to them as babies.
This newborn pygmy calf (still unnamed!) was born to Flora, the star of a documentary about the Zoological Society of London. Flora has been battling cancer and has an enormous tumor in her mouth. Fortunately, the pregnancy went off without a hitch and, after 6 hours of labor, she gave birth to a healthy, adorable male calf.
Not only is he adorably precious, but he's a welcome addition. Male pygmy hippos are becoming increasingly rare in the European Endangered Species Breeding Program.
Don't forget to check out the video at the bottom. The section beginning at minute 1:23 is my favorite!
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This is Flora's third calf, and he's just as healthy as the other ones. Despite her health concerns, she handled this pregnancy and delivery like a pro.
There are approximately only 3,000 of this endangered species remaining, and males are increasingly rare amongst conservations, so this little guy's birth is incredibly important.
We will probably grow to be three-and-a-half feet tall (measuring from the shoulder), and he could weight as much as 600lbs. For now though, you could pick him up with one arm.
He's enjoying exploring his surroundings and, like most newborn pygmy hippos, he can already swim.
He was born the day after Christmas. The zookeepers say that at his first weigh-in, he was so slippery, it felt like holding a bar of soap.
Please SHARE this adorable hippo and watch the video below!
