Mc-Moo Deng? Scottish zoo welcomes pygmy hippo calf
Edinburgh Zoo has announced the birth of a pygmy hippo calf, drawing comparisons to Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo at a Thai zoo who became a global internet sensation. The calf was born on Friday 31 July to parents Otto and Gloria, arriving earlier than keepers and vets had anticipated, just days after Gloria's pregnancy was confirmed.
Mother and calf are currently being kept away from public view as they bond, with staff monitoring their feeding and rest. Jonny Appleyard, hoofstock team leader at Edinburgh Zoo, said the team was delighted with how well Gloria and her calf were doing, adding that the priority was giving them private time until they show signs of being ready to meet visitors. Gloria is an experienced mother, having given birth before.
- Edinburgh Zoo's pygmy hippo Gloria gave birth to a calf on 31 July
- Calf arrived earlier than expected with father Otto
- Mother and newborn are bonding privately before public debut
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Edinburgh Zoo has a new arrival: a pygmy hippo calf born to parents Otto and Gloria on Friday 31 July, ahead of schedule. Pygmy hippos are a small, endangered species native to West Africa, and they have drawn wider public attention recently thanks to Moo Deng, a pygmy hippo at a zoo in Thailand who became a viral internet star.
The calf and its mother are being kept out of public view for now while they bond and staff check on their feeding and rest, which is standard practice after such a birth. Gloria has given birth before, so zoo staff have experience to draw on in caring for her and the new calf.
Zoo births like this often attract public interest both because the animals involved can be endangered and because they offer a rare, low-stakes good news story, though how much attention any individual animal gets can vary widely.