CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — It’s a girl! The Metro Richmond Zoo is welcoming its new baby pygmy hippo just before the holidays.
The baby hippo was born on Dec. 9 to parents Iris and Corwin, according to the zoo. This is their third calf together. At five days old, she weighed 15 lbs, but when full grown, this pygmy hippo could weigh as much as 600 Ibs.
Pygmy hippos are endangered species native to the swamps and rivers of West Africa. Less than 2,500 mature individuals remain in the wild.
The Metro Richmond Zoo is the only place in Virginia where animal lovers can see a pygmy hippo.
Folks looking to visit can find the zoo at 8300 Beaver Bridge Road in the Moseley area of Chesterfield County. For more information, visit the zoo’s website.
