Pygmy Hippo Calf Makes Public Debut At Adelaide Zoo!

Tired of walking through the park seeing other people’s puppies? Sick of cute children being paraded in front of you by their smug parents? Well, Adelaide Zoo have just welcomed an adorable photogenic new edition, better than all of the #DogsOfInstagram

Meet Obi, the Pygmy Hippo eleven month old calf, who arrived from Melbourne Zoo on Monday afternoon and is now on public display in his new exhibit next door to the Nile hippos.

Just look at the little guy! He’s so much cuter than your neighbour’s Pomeranian!

Way back in March Melbourne Zoo Keepers started preparing Obi for his journey by placing the travelling crate in his night yard. Zoos SA Herbivore Team Leader Heather Guy is excited to welcome him but like all proud new parents appreciates it will take time for him to adapt new habitat and surroundings.

“We will be making sure that Obi receives lots of special attention and enrichment while he settles into his life at Adelaide Zoo,” Heather said.

“Obi will be the only pygmy hippo at Adelaide Zoo, but pygmy hippos are usually solitary in the wild, so this will not be unusual for his species.“

Pygmy Hippos are endangered in the wild due to both loss of habitat and poaching, which makes the regional and international breeding programs for the species critically important for the future.

Obi is the offspring of Petre, who at 23, said goodbye to Adelaide Zoo to be a part of a breeding program at Taronga Zoo. After breeding successfully at Taronga Zoo, Petre then journeyed to Melbourne Zoo in December 2012 to breed with a different male.

And for those who remember Janice, the Pygmy Hippo who lived at Adelaide Zoo for 33 years(let’s be honest, every Adelaide home has her photo on the mantle), Obi is her grandson!

Make a booking to head along to the Adelaide Zoo today!