New baby pygmy hippo born at Taman Safari

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

A newborn pygmy hippopotamus has added to the variety of wilderness in Safari Park in Bogor, as Tina, a 10-year old pygmy hippo, gave birth on Tuesday.

Tina is one of Safari Park's eight pygmy hippos. Hippopotamus are one of 270 species in the Bogor conservation area.

Yulius Suprihando, the park's public relations officer, Tina delivered the baby hippo at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday after a 210-day pregnancy.

The female hippo previously mated with Safari's male hippo Shinto.

Pygmy hippopotamus (Cheoropsis liberiensis) are a rare breed found only in Guinea and Liberia in west Africa. They only weigh between 160 and 240 kilograms and have a length ranging from 1.5 to 1.75 meters. Hippopotamus are usually 4.5 meters long.

The nocturnal herbivore lives in rivers or lakes and are good swimmers. They have the unique ability to turn their ears a full 360 degrees.