Her latest video is breaking new records every day: it currently has 7.6 million views on TikTok and around 9 million on Instagram the first bath of the little baby hippo from Berlin Zoo achieved in the meantime. “The young animal sleeps a lot, drinks about four times a day and is weighed and bathed daily by the zookeepers,” says zoologist Dr. Florian Sicks, describing the typical everyday life of the TikTok star. “The small pygmy hippopotamus gains around 200 – 300 grams of weight every day thanks to the nutritious milk. Today she has already weighed 10 kg. So you can literally watch it grow.” Pygmy hippos are suckled for about six months. At the age of two to four months, the young also begin to eat solid food. Pygmy hippopotamuses are so-called littermates: They do not follow their mother, but lie protected in a hiding place.5 At the moment, they prefer to hide in a pile of hay.
You can send your name suggestions to the zoo!
Having developed magnificently since its birth on June 3, more and more questions about the name of the little pygmy hippopotamus are now trickling into the zoo’s mailboxes. To give all Hippo fans the chance to get involved with their suggestions, there will be an opportunity until July 5 to leave a comment in the comments column on the zoo’s social media channels Facebook, Instagram and TikTok To submit name suggestions for the little hippo baby. Also via info@zoo-berlin.de there is the opportunity to submit proposals. “It’s an open secret that I particularly like short, concise names with a Berlin connection. When the animals born here leave us at some point to help preserve their species elsewhere, they always carry a little piece of Berlin with them,” reveals Zoo and Tierpark Director Dr. Andreas Knieriem, adding: “We are delighted that the cub is developing so well. There are fewer than 2,500 adult pygmy hippos left in their natural habitat – and the trend is decreasing. Every offspring is a small gift.”
Experienced mother for baby hippo
Hippo mother Debbie had already successfully reared kittens in 2004, 2007 and 2008. Her experience and care therefore give the zoo team confidence. Debbie has been in the back area of “Hippo Bay” for some time now and will continue to stay there together with her little mini pygmy hippo to get used to each other in peace. “Like their larger relatives, pygmy hippos cannot swim properly. They push off from the bottom and glide through the water. It will take some time until the offspring have learned this and are big and strong enough to use the facility with the large swimming pools on their own,” explains district manager Mario Hammerschmidt. Soon you will be able to admire the little star in the outdoor area of the zoo, we will keep you up to date!
