Szeged zoo gets pygmy hippo couple

A male pygmy hippo named Chippo recently arrived at the Szeged Zoo from the German town of Chemnitz, reports objektivhir.hu. As part of an international effort to save the species, Chippo will be bred with Tigi, the zoo's female pygmy hippo, in three or four years, once both are old enough.

objektivhir.hu

Already feeling chipper: Chippo the pygmy hippo after his recent arrival in Hungary.

Chippo arrived at the zoo on May 9. At 11 months of age, he is said to be so small he looks like Tigi's son, rather than her future mate.

The two were first separated by a fence in the new hippo house, but are now sharing the same living space.

Both apparently acted shy but non-confrontational when they were introduced, which the zookeepers said is a good sign, as dwarf hippos prefer solitude and can be aggressive with other members of their species.

The pygmy hippo is indigenous to West African rain forests and was discovered in the early 20th century, making it one of the latest-discovered large mammal species on earth. At adulthood, it stands about 75-83 centimeters tall and weighs 180-276 kilograms, much less than normal hippopotamuses.

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