Rare Baby Hippo

Monifa is the new baby pygmy hippopotamus at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia. The endangered species arrived three weeks ago in a difficult breech birth. Monifa was unable to stand or feed herself, and has been nursed around the clock by zookeepers.

Keepers Renae Zammit and Tracy Roberts spent a fortnight sleeping with and hand-feeding Monifa from a teated syringe until she was nursed to full health.

The infant has now moved into her own pen and is ready to follow the footsteps of her father Timmy, the last pygmy hippo born at Taronga Zoo 23 years ago.

Monifa has now doubled in weight and is drinking from a bowl, content to suckle the thumb of her keepers. A delighted Misss Zammit said Monifa was already showing signs of playfulness.

"She's such an inquisitive little thing and loves bath time, she even turns somersaults in the water," she said.

Link to story (with video). Link to photo gallery. -via Fark

(image credit: Kate Geraghty)