The only pygmy hippo calf in Canada now has a name fitting of her unique role in the country.
The Toronto Zoo revealed Friday that its newest addition is named Maple, a little over two weeks after she was born at the east-end attraction.
Maple arrived to parents Kindia and Harvey on Aug. 2 after 1.5 hours of active labour. The zoo says Maple’s weight has tripled since birth, now weighing roughly 23 pounds.
“She may be tiny, but her personality is definitely starting to show,” The zoo said in a news release.
“She loves staying close to mom and, while she is starting to grow teeth, is still nursing exclusively. She is becoming more curious and adventurous by the day and has been exploring the water, practicing her breath holds.”
Maple is not currently viewable to zoo guests.
Indigenous to West Africa, pygmy hippos are listed as endangered, with only about 2,000 to 3,000 believed to remain in the wild. The semi-aquatic mammal thrives in undisturbed forests and swamps, which the zoo says are under threat due to logging, mining, agriculture, human settlement, and hunting.
The calf was conceived in January, when 31-year-old Harvey was introduced to 20-year-old Kindia. Maple is Kindia’s third calf.
