A three-week-old pygmy hippo named Piper took her first swim at Edinburgh Zoo, following her mother Gloria into the pool before venturing off on her own paddle. The moment marks an important early development milestone for the endangered species, which relies heavily on water for movement and safety in the wild, and offers a rare glimpse of the calf gaining confidence under her mother's watch.

Piper was born on 31 July to parents Otto and Gloria and was confirmed female, weighing just under 5.5 kilograms, at her first health check. During her swim on 25 August she completed a lap of the pool and paused to inspect a piece of driftwood before resting beside Gloria, after which hoofstock team leader Jonny Appleyard helped her out of the water. Senior hoofstock keeper Jade Robertson said the calf was named after the bagpipes for her habit of making cute huffing and puffing noises, and expects Piper to grow rapidly on her mother's rich milk, becoming more adventurous as she matures; adult female pygmy hippos can reach around 3ft in height, 5.5ft in length and weigh 160–270 kilograms.