Hadari, the Young Pygmy Hippo, Lands at the Pittsburgh Zoo

The birth of any animal is a beautiful event, but when it is an endangered species with only a few thousand living in the wild, it is especially noteworthy.

This story started at the Montgomery Zoo in Alabama. Hadari, a 1-year-old male pygmy hippopotamus, was living in Montgomery, but they moved him across the country to his new home at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium.

Hadari is a rather unusual animal. After all, he is part of a species that only has about 3,000 living in the wild. In addition, it is less likely for pygmy hippos born in captivity to be male, but he beat the odds.

The Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium is excited about his birth and recent move. As part of a captive breeding program, his genetics will add to the species and their efforts to keep the population going.

In order to show their happiness with the arrival of the little one, they shared a post on Facebook.

Is a Pigmy Hippo the Same as a Common Hippopotamus?

Most people are familiar with the common hippopotamus, but pygmy hippos are different. They live in West Africa and Liberia, but the common hippo is seen elsewhere in the continent.

Pygmy hippos tend to be solitary creatures that move mostly at night. The Pygmy Hippo Foundation says we have learned most of what we know about pygmy hippos by observing them in captivity.

They are only about 3 feet tall and can grow to 6 feet long. Their weight can be anywhere from 350 up to 800 pounds. In comparison, a common hippo can weigh up to 10,000 pounds.

One Pigmy Hippo Replaced Another

Prior to the time that Hadari came to the Pittsburgh Zoo, they had another male named Jahari. As part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, Jahari was moved to the John Ball Zoo in Michigan to find love with another pygmy hippo.

Hadari seems to be doing well at the Pittsburgh Zoo, according to a press release.

Kelsey Forbes, the curator of animals in Pittsburgh said: “Hadari is trying out everything, every which way. He is super rambunctious, loves exploring, and is a confident hippo.”

I may just have to make visiting the Pittsburgh Zoo a part of my bucket list.