The Toronto Zoo has announced the birth of a female pygmy hippo calf, the third for its mother Kindia, according to the zoo — Kindia, the zoo’s 20-year-old pygmy hippo, started showing signs of labor at around 8.15am last Sunday, it said. Around four hours later, the calf’s feet emerged and after 1.5 hours of active labor, Kindia successfully gave birth to the baby pygmy hippo. Within 15 minutes of birth, the calf began trying to stand and was “confidently managing the space” a few hours later, the zoo said, adding that the calf was seen nursing approximately 4.5 hours after birth. The zoo has not identified the calf yet, but said that it is doing well alongside its mother; According to the zoo, the newborn is Kindia’s third calf. Kindia became pregnant after she was introduced to a 31-year-old male pygmy hippo named Harvey for eight days in January; “This wonderful news comes with both hope and caution,” the zoo said. “Kindia successfully raised her daughter Penelope in 2018, and calf survival for this species can be challenging. Our team will continue to closely monitor both mom and calf around the clock during these important first days to ensure they continue to progress well together.” Noting the species’ endangered status on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list, Dolf DeJong, the Toronto Zoo’s CEO, said: “Welcoming a pygmy hippo calf is far more than a celebration of new life. Pygmy hippos are endangered, and their wild populations continue to decline due to habitat loss and human pressures. “This birth represents the critical role modern accredited zoos play in conservation, scientific collaboration, and maintaining healthy populations that contribute to the long-term survival of the species.” Only approximately 2,000 to 3,000 pygmy hippos are believed to remain in the wild. With adult pygmy hippos weighing anywhere from 330lb to 660lb and standing around 2.5 tall, the species are native to the forests and swamps of west Africa. In recent decades however, pygmy hippos have faced growing threats to their habitat including logging, mining, farming activities as well as human settlement; the Toronto Zoo emphasized the significance of this birth for both the zoo and the global conservation efforts for the species. The zoo said that the success of this birth is a positive step in the ongoing efforts to maintain and study the pygmy hippo population, but the zoo’s statement highlighted the importance of continued monitoring to support the health and development of the newborn. The zoo said it plans to announce the name of the calf at a later date, the Toronto Zoo said that it is working closely with other institutions to support the conservation of pygmy hippos. The zoo noted that this birth is a result of a carefully planned breeding program that is part of a larger international effort, while the zoo said that the birth will allow for further research into the species, which can inform conservation strategies in the wild. The zoo said that the pygmy hippo is one of the most endangered animals in the world and that every new birth contributes to the survival of the species. The Toronto Zoo said that it is committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for the mother and calf during the critical early weeks — the zoo said that this birth is especially important given the challenges faced by the species in the wild. The zoo said that it is hopeful that the new calf will thrive and contribute to the long-term survival of the pygmy hippo population.