多伦多动物园近日宣布，20岁的母侏儒河马Kindia产下了一只母幼崽[1]。这是Kindia的第三只后代[1]，对这一濒危物种的种群保护具有重要意义。
幼崽出生过程进展顺利。Kindia于上周日上午8:15左右开始出现分娩迹象，活跃分娩持续约1.5小时[1]。出生后仅15分钟内，幼崽就已能够站立，约4.5小时后开始哺乳[1]。
Kindia与31岁的公河马Harvey在1月相处八天后怀孕[1]。动物园此前曾于2018年成功协助Kindia养育过女儿Penelope[1]。目前野生侏儒河马的数量约为2000-3000只[1]，该物种原产于西非的森林和沼泽地带，面临栖息地丧失、采矿、农业活动和人类定居等多重威胁[1]。成年侏儒河马体重通常在330-660磅之间，身高约为2.5英尺[1]。
Toronto Zoo has announced the successful birth of a female pygmy hippo calf born to Kindia, a 20-year-old mother hippo [1]. This marks Kindia's third offspring, making the arrival a significant milestone for the endangered species. The calf began standing within 15 minutes of birth and started nursing approximately 4.5 hours after delivery [1].
The birth occurred on a Sunday morning, with active labor lasting 1.5 hours beginning around 8:15 a.m. [1]. According to the zoo, Kindia became pregnant following an eight-day encounter with Harvey, a 31-year-old male hippo, in January [1]. Kindia previously raised her daughter Penelope, born in 2018 [1].
The zoo highlighted the conservation significance of this birth for the species' long-term survival, noting that wild pygmy hippos number between 2,000 and 3,000 individuals [1]. These animals, which originate from West African forests and wetlands, face mounting threats from habitat loss, mining, agricultural activities, and human settlement [1]. Adult pygmy hippos typically weigh between 330 and 660 pounds and stand approximately 2.5 feet tall [1].