{"id":3707,"date":"2025-07-03T22:12:03","date_gmt":"2025-07-04T05:12:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?p=3707"},"modified":"2025-07-30T23:43:56","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T06:43:56","slug":"meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Pygmy Hippopotamus: The Tiny, Shy, and Utterly Adorable Cousin of the River Giant"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b820149611f49fd6ddebb414401e37b2\">When most people think of hippos, they picture the massive, grumpy beasts wallowing in African rivers. But tucked away in the forests and swamps of West Africa lives their smaller, more secretive cousin: the <strong>pygmy hippopotamus<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019re rare. They\u2019re adorable. And they\u2019re <em>nothing like<\/em> what you expect from a hippo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is a Pygmy Hippo?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>pygmy hippopotamus<\/strong> (<em>Choeropsis liberiensis<\/em> or <em>Hexaprotodon liberiensis<\/em>) is a miniature version of the common hippo. But this isn\u2019t just a baby or a scaled-down clone. Pygmy hippos are <strong>a separate species<\/strong> with distinct behaviors, anatomy, and habitat needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Height<\/strong>: About 2.5 feet at the shoulder<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Length<\/strong>: Around 5 feet<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Weight<\/strong>: 400\u2013600 pounds (roughly the size of a large pig)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, an adult pygmy hippo could <em>comfortably fit in the back of an SUV<\/em> \u2013 not something you can say about its river-dwelling cousin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where Do Pygmy Hippos Live?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pygmy hippos are native to <strong>West Africa<\/strong>, primarily found in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Liberia<\/strong> (most of the population)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Small parts of <strong>Sierra Leone<\/strong>, <strong>Guinea<\/strong>, and <strong>C\u00f4te d&#8217;Ivoire<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>They live in <strong>dense tropical forests<\/strong> and swamps, usually close to rivers or other freshwater sources. Unlike common hippos that spend much of the day submerged, pygmy hippos prefer to hide in thick undergrowth and come out mostly at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Forest Life and Behavior<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pygmy hippos are <strong>solitary and secretive<\/strong>. They&#8217;re crepuscular or nocturnal \u2013 active at dawn, dusk, or night \u2013 and spend their time foraging for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ferns<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fruits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leaves<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Grasses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fallen vegetation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike their water-loving cousins, pygmy hippos are <strong>less aquatic<\/strong>. They can swim and wallow, but they\u2019re more adapted to moving through forest underbrush and using muddy paths and tunnels they create over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Anatomy: Small But Specialized<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pygmy hippos still retain some classic hippo features \u2013 like thick skin, webbed toes, and a hefty body \u2013 but there are some key differences:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>More upright posture<\/strong>: Their legs are longer (relative to their body), so they walk more easily through dense forest.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Less aggressive<\/strong>: They\u2019re shy and avoid confrontation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>More secretions<\/strong>: Like common hippos, they produce a special oily substance, nicknamed &#8220;blood sweat,&#8221; that helps protect their skin from sun and infection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rare and at Risk<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pygmy hippos are <strong>Endangered<\/strong>, with fewer than <strong>3,000 individuals<\/strong> thought to remain in the wild.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Threats include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Deforestation<\/strong> from logging, mining, and agriculture<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hunting<\/strong> for bushmeat<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Habitat fragmentation<\/strong>, which makes it harder for them to find mates or stay safe<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, conservation efforts are underway. Zoos around the world participate in breeding programs, and there are several sanctuaries in West Africa working to protect their forest homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fun Fact<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pygmy hippos were <strong>unknown to the Western world until the 19th century<\/strong>, and are still so elusive in the wild that much of what we know comes from observing them in zoos!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pygmy hippos are living proof that big things come in small, swampy packages. They may not be as famous or flashy as their massive cousins, but these forest-dwelling charmers are just as fascinating \u2013 and far more mysterious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether munching on jungle leaves or padding silently through the shadows, pygmy hippos remind us that some of the world\u2019s most remarkable creatures are also the hardest to find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-02956280147edddff8df775763cfb6b9\"><strong>Want to meet more miniature marvels? Stay tuned for deep dives into rare species and lesser-known wildlife from around the globe \u2013 next up: the <a href=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-borneo-pygmy-elephant-the-baby-faced-gentle-giant-of-the-rainforest\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"3730\">Borneo pygmy elephant<\/a>. Yes, you read that right. Not just pygmy hippos, but also pygmy elephants!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More photos below \u2193<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-2571651847880215\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<!-- banner ad -->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-2571651847880215\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"7178535257\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-tiled-gallery aligncenter is-style-rectangular\"><div class=\"\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__gallery\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:30.82209%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3708\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pexels-photo-31220818\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-31220818.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"867,1300\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Cynthia Fridsma on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/pygmy-hippo-drinking-in-kerkrade-zoo-habitat-31220818\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;pygmy hippo drinking in kerkrade zoo habitat&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-31220818\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Cynthia Fridsma on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/pygmy-hippo-drinking-in-kerkrade-zoo-habitat-31220818\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-31220818-200x300.jpeg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-31220818-683x1024.jpeg\" data-attachment-id=\"3708\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pexels-photo-31220818\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-31220818.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"867,1300\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Cynthia Fridsma on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/pygmy-hippo-drinking-in-kerkrade-zoo-habitat-31220818\/\\&quot; 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rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;kinder happy hippo&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-28301003\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Emma Benova on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/kinder-happy-hippo-28301003\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-28301003-225x300.jpeg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-28301003-768x1024.jpeg\" data-attachment-id=\"3710\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pexels-photo-28301003\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-28301003.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"975,1300\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Emma Benova on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/kinder-happy-hippo-28301003\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;kinder happy hippo&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-28301003\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Emma Benova on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/kinder-happy-hippo-28301003\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-28301003-225x300.jpeg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-28301003-768x1024.jpeg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 3 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-28301003.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-28301003.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-28301003.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=975&#038;ssl=1 975w\" alt=\"kinder happy hippo\" data-height=\"1300\" data-id=\"3710\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3710\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-28301003.jpeg\" data-width=\"975\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-28301003.jpeg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:43.02418%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3711\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pexels-photo-11495176\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-11495176.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1058\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Steward Masweneng on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/photo-of-a-pygmy-hippopotamus-11495176\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;photo of a pygmy hippopotamus&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-11495176\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Steward Masweneng on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/photo-of-a-pygmy-hippopotamus-11495176\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-11495176-300x169.jpeg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-11495176-1024x576.jpeg\" data-attachment-id=\"3711\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pexels-photo-11495176\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-11495176.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1058\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Steward Masweneng on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/photo-of-a-pygmy-hippopotamus-11495176\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;photo of a pygmy hippopotamus&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-11495176\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Steward Masweneng on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/photo-of-a-pygmy-hippopotamus-11495176\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-11495176-300x169.jpeg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-11495176-1024x576.jpeg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 4 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-11495176.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-11495176.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-11495176.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-11495176.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-11495176.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-11495176.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1880&#038;ssl=1 1880w\" alt=\"photo of a pygmy hippopotamus\" data-height=\"1058\" data-id=\"3711\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3711\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-11495176.jpeg\" data-width=\"1880\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-11495176.jpeg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3712\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/endangered-pygmy-hippo-born-at-san-diego-zoolast-month-after-days-of-anticipation-mabel-a-4-year-old-pygmy-hippopotamus-at-the-san-diego-zoo-gave-birth-to-her-first-calf-the-male-pygmy-hippo-ca\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-sand-diego-zoo-380487350.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1600,900\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Photos taken by Ken Bohn, San Di&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS-1D X Mark II&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Endangered Pygmy Hippo Born at San Diego Zoo\\r\\rLast month, after days of anticipation, Mabel, a 4-year-old pygmy hippopotamus at the San Diego Zoo, gave birth to her first calf. The male pygmy hippo calf was born just before 9 a.m. on April 9, and weighed 12.4 pounds. This is the first successful pygmy hippo birth at the Zoo in more than 30 years. \\rWildlife care specialists report that the calf, which has not yet been named, is nursing and getting lots of attention from the first-time mother\\u2014and it is meeting or surpassing the milestones for a young pygmy hippo, including the ability to go underwater. When mom and her calf were given access to the outdoor maternity habitat, staff added a fence to prevent the calf from venturing into too-deep water. The calf demonstrated the natural adaptations and instincts of pygmy hippos\\u2014to close their nostrils and to hold their breath under water\\u2014and today, both Mabel and the calf, who weighs 25 pounds, have full access to the pool in the maternity yard. \\rPygmy hippos are one of hundreds of endangered species the staff at San Diego Zoo Global is working to protect from extinction, and in recognition of Endangered Species Day\\u2014May 15, 2020\\u2014the organization is celebrating its supporters who make this work possible. Every member, donor or volunteer\\u2014and anyone who has visited the San Diego Zoo or San Diego Zoo Safari Park\\u2014has contributed to San Diego Zoo Global\\u2019s work to save species worldwide. To learn more about the conservation work that is made possible by this support, visit EndExtinction.org\/CelebratingYou. This page also features links to engaging wildlife cams, activities for kids, free online educational courses and ways to participate in citizen science projects from any home computer or smartphone, to help researchers gather important information on threatened and endangered species.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1588696976&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;San Diego Zoo Global \\u00a9 2020\\rPERMITTED USE: Images are provided to the media solely for reproduction, public display, and distri&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;3200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Endangered Pygmy Hippo Born at San Diego Zoo\\r\\rLast month, after days of anticipation, Mabel, a 4-year-old pygmy hippopotamus at the San Diego Zoo, gave birth to her first calf. The male pygmy hippo calf was born just before 9 a.m. on April 9, and weighed&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Endangered Pygmy Hippo Born at San Diego Zoo\r\rLast month, after days of anticipation, Mabel, a 4-year-old pygmy hippopotamus at the San Diego Zoo, gave birth to her first calf. The male pygmy hippo calf was born just before 9 a.m. on April 9, and weighed\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Endangered Pygmy Hippo Born at San Diego Zoo&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;Last month, after days of anticipation, Mabel, a 4-year-old pygmy hippopotamus at the San Diego Zoo, gave birth to her first calf. The male pygmy hippo calf was born just before 9 a.m. on April 9, and weighed 12.4 pounds. This is the first successful pygmy hippo birth at the Zoo in more than 30 years.&lt;br \/&gt;\nWildlife care specialists report that the calf, which has not yet been named, is nursing and getting lots of attention from the first-time mother\u2014and it is meeting or surpassing the milestones for a young pygmy hippo, including the ability to go underwater. When mom and her calf were given access to the outdoor maternity habitat, staff added a fence to prevent the calf from venturing into too-deep water. The calf demonstrated the natural adaptations and instincts of pygmy hippos\u2014to close their nostrils and to hold their breath under water\u2014and today, both Mabel and the calf, who weighs 25 pounds, have full access to the pool in the maternity yard.&lt;br \/&gt;\nPygmy hippos are one of hundreds of endangered species the staff at San Diego Zoo Global is working to protect from extinction, and in recognition of Endangered Species Day\u2014May 15, 2020\u2014the organization is celebrating its supporters who make this work possible. Every member, donor or volunteer\u2014and anyone who has visited the San Diego Zoo or San Diego Zoo Safari Park\u2014has contributed to San Diego Zoo Global\u2019s work to save species worldwide. To learn more about the conservation work that is made possible by this support, visit EndExtinction.org\/CelebratingYou. This page also features links to engaging wildlife cams, activities for kids, free online educational courses and ways to participate in citizen science projects from any home computer or smartphone, to help researchers gather important information on threatened and endangered species.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-sand-diego-zoo-380487350-300x169.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-sand-diego-zoo-380487350-1024x576.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"3712\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/endangered-pygmy-hippo-born-at-san-diego-zoolast-month-after-days-of-anticipation-mabel-a-4-year-old-pygmy-hippopotamus-at-the-san-diego-zoo-gave-birth-to-her-first-calf-the-male-pygmy-hippo-ca\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-sand-diego-zoo-380487350.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1600,900\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Photos taken by Ken Bohn, San Di&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS-1D X Mark II&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Endangered Pygmy Hippo Born at San Diego Zoo\\r\\rLast month, after days of anticipation, Mabel, a 4-year-old pygmy hippopotamus at the San Diego Zoo, gave birth to her first calf. The male pygmy hippo calf was born just before 9 a.m. on April 9, and weighed 12.4 pounds. This is the first successful pygmy hippo birth at the Zoo in more than 30 years. \\rWildlife care specialists report that the calf, which has not yet been named, is nursing and getting lots of attention from the first-time mother\\u2014and it is meeting or surpassing the milestones for a young pygmy hippo, including the ability to go underwater. When mom and her calf were given access to the outdoor maternity habitat, staff added a fence to prevent the calf from venturing into too-deep water. The calf demonstrated the natural adaptations and instincts of pygmy hippos\\u2014to close their nostrils and to hold their breath under water\\u2014and today, both Mabel and the calf, who weighs 25 pounds, have full access to the pool in the maternity yard. \\rPygmy hippos are one of hundreds of endangered species the staff at San Diego Zoo Global is working to protect from extinction, and in recognition of Endangered Species Day\\u2014May 15, 2020\\u2014the organization is celebrating its supporters who make this work possible. Every member, donor or volunteer\\u2014and anyone who has visited the San Diego Zoo or San Diego Zoo Safari Park\\u2014has contributed to San Diego Zoo Global\\u2019s work to save species worldwide. To learn more about the conservation work that is made possible by this support, visit EndExtinction.org\/CelebratingYou. This page also features links to engaging wildlife cams, activities for kids, free online educational courses and ways to participate in citizen science projects from any home computer or smartphone, to help researchers gather important information on threatened and endangered species.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1588696976&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;San Diego Zoo Global \\u00a9 2020\\rPERMITTED USE: Images are provided to the media solely for reproduction, public display, and distri&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;3200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Endangered Pygmy Hippo Born at San Diego Zoo\\r\\rLast month, after days of anticipation, Mabel, a 4-year-old pygmy hippopotamus at the San Diego Zoo, gave birth to her first calf. The male pygmy hippo calf was born just before 9 a.m. on April 9, and weighed&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Endangered Pygmy Hippo Born at San Diego Zoo\r\rLast month, after days of anticipation, Mabel, a 4-year-old pygmy hippopotamus at the San Diego Zoo, gave birth to her first calf. The male pygmy hippo calf was born just before 9 a.m. on April 9, and weighed\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Endangered Pygmy Hippo Born at San Diego Zoo&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;Last month, after days of anticipation, Mabel, a 4-year-old pygmy hippopotamus at the San Diego Zoo, gave birth to her first calf. The male pygmy hippo calf was born just before 9 a.m. on April 9, and weighed 12.4 pounds. This is the first successful pygmy hippo birth at the Zoo in more than 30 years.&lt;br \/&gt;\nWildlife care specialists report that the calf, which has not yet been named, is nursing and getting lots of attention from the first-time mother\u2014and it is meeting or surpassing the milestones for a young pygmy hippo, including the ability to go underwater. When mom and her calf were given access to the outdoor maternity habitat, staff added a fence to prevent the calf from venturing into too-deep water. The calf demonstrated the natural adaptations and instincts of pygmy hippos\u2014to close their nostrils and to hold their breath under water\u2014and today, both Mabel and the calf, who weighs 25 pounds, have full access to the pool in the maternity yard.&lt;br \/&gt;\nPygmy hippos are one of hundreds of endangered species the staff at San Diego Zoo Global is working to protect from extinction, and in recognition of Endangered Species Day\u2014May 15, 2020\u2014the organization is celebrating its supporters who make this work possible. Every member, donor or volunteer\u2014and anyone who has visited the San Diego Zoo or San Diego Zoo Safari Park\u2014has contributed to San Diego Zoo Global\u2019s work to save species worldwide. To learn more about the conservation work that is made possible by this support, visit EndExtinction.org\/CelebratingYou. This page also features links to engaging wildlife cams, activities for kids, free online educational courses and ways to participate in citizen science projects from any home computer or smartphone, to help researchers gather important information on threatened and endangered species.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-sand-diego-zoo-380487350-300x169.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-sand-diego-zoo-380487350-1024x576.jpg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 5 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-sand-diego-zoo-380487350-1024x576.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-sand-diego-zoo-380487350-1024x576.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-sand-diego-zoo-380487350-1024x576.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-sand-diego-zoo-380487350-1024x576.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-sand-diego-zoo-380487350-1024x576.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1600&#038;ssl=1 1600w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"900\" data-id=\"3712\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3712\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-sand-diego-zoo-380487350-1024x576.jpg\" data-width=\"1600\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-sand-diego-zoo-380487350-1024x576.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3713\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pygmy-hippo-baby\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1024,637\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pygmy hippo baby\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-300x187.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"3713\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pygmy-hippo-baby\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1024,637\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pygmy hippo baby\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby-300x187.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby.jpg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 6 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1024&#038;ssl=1 1024w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"637\" data-id=\"3713\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3713\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby.jpg\" data-width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:65.35926%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3714\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2256,1908\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pygmy hippo mom and baby\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby-300x254.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby-1024x866.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"3714\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2256,1908\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pygmy hippo mom and baby\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby-300x254.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby-1024x866.jpg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 7 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby-1024x866.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby-1024x866.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby-1024x866.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby-1024x866.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby-1024x866.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby-1024x866.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=2000&#038;ssl=1 2000w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"1908\" data-id=\"3714\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3714\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby-1024x866.jpg\" data-width=\"2256\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-mom-and-baby-1024x866.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:34.64074%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3715\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pygmy-hippo-teeth\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-teeth.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1800,1800\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pygmy hippo teeth\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-teeth-300x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-teeth-1024x1024.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"3715\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pygmy-hippo-teeth\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-teeth.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1800,1800\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pygmy hippo teeth\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-teeth-300x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-teeth-1024x1024.jpg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 8 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-teeth-1024x1024.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-teeth-1024x1024.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-teeth-1024x1024.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-teeth-1024x1024.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-teeth-1024x1024.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"1800\" data-id=\"3715\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3715\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-teeth-1024x1024.jpg\" data-width=\"1800\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-teeth-1024x1024.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3716\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pygmy-hippo\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1865,1097\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Edwin Giesbers \/ Nature Pictu&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) portrait , captive, occurs in West Africa. Endangered species.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Edwin  Giesbers \/ naturepl.com&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;01529314&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pygmy hippo\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) portrait , captive, occurs in West Africa. Endangered species.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-300x176.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-1024x602.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"3716\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pygmy-hippo\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1865,1097\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Edwin Giesbers \/ Nature Pictu&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) portrait , captive, occurs in West Africa. Endangered species.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Edwin  Giesbers \/ naturepl.com&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;01529314&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pygmy hippo\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) portrait , captive, occurs in West Africa. Endangered species.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-300x176.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-1024x602.jpg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 9 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-1024x602.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-1024x602.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-1024x602.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-1024x602.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-1024x602.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-1024x602.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1865&#038;ssl=1 1865w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"1097\" data-id=\"3716\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3716\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-1024x602.jpg\" data-width=\"1865\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-1024x602.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:100.00000%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3717\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pygmy-hippos\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippos.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1500,997\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pygmy hippos\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippos-300x199.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippos-1024x681.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"3717\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/pygmy-hippos\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippos.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1500,997\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pygmy hippos\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippos-300x199.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippos-1024x681.jpg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 10 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippos-1024x681.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippos-1024x681.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippos-1024x681.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippos-1024x681.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"997\" data-id=\"3717\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3717\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippos-1024x681.jpg\" data-width=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippos-1024x681.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Disclaimer:<\/strong>&nbsp;This blog post is for edutainment purposes only and may not be entirely accurate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When most people think of hippos, they picture the massive, grumpy beasts wallowing in African rivers. But tucked away in the forests and swamps of West Africa lives their smaller,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3713,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[44,26,42,95,31],"class_list":["post-3707","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-animal-bytes","tag-african-animals","tag-animal-facts","tag-conservation","tag-endangered-animals","tag-wild-animals"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pygmy-hippo-baby.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3707","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3707"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3707\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3781,"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3707\/revisions\/3781"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3707"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3707"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3707"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}