MI Zoo Celebrates First-Ever Birth Of Pygmy Hippo Calf

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — A Michigan zoo welcomed a pygmy hippo earlier this week.

Penelope gave birth to her first calf Wednesday at the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids. The unnamed baby weighs 11 pounds and is the first pygmy hippo calf born at the zoo.

Both Penelope and the father, Jahari, are relatively new additions to the zoo.

The hippos are doing well, and the zoo's animal care team is "keeping a close eye on mom and baby as they bond behind the scenes," according to the zoo.

"Pygmy hippos are an endangered species with fewer than 2,500 estimated in the wild, so each birth is a vital step for conservation," the zoo said in a social media post. "Our animal care team is keeping a close eye on mom and baby as they bond behind the scenes, and both are doing well."

Although pygmy hippos are much smaller than a regular hippo, they can still weigh between 400 and 600 pounds. They are roughly 4.5-6 feet long and 2.5-3 feet high at the shoulder.