Odd Spot
Pygmy hippo baby gets feet wet for first time
The public is finally able to see the new endangered pygmy hippo calf in person at a Virginia zoo.
According to officials at Metro Richmond Zoo in Moseley, Virginia, mother Iris and her female calf have now returned to the indoor pool area. It was the calf's first time submerged in water since being born in the pool three weeks earlier.
On the first day, the zoo lowered the water level so the baby could become comfortable with her surroundings, but the zoo is gradually increasing the level each day.
The female was born December 9.
The pygmy hippo is native to the swamps and rivers of West Africa. According to the zoo, less than 2,500 mature individuals remain in the wild.
