Birth of Endangered Pygmy Hippo at the Montgomery Zoo

MONTGOMERY ZOO (Montgomery, AL): The Montgomery Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of a female pygmy hippopotamus, Anuket, named after the Egyptian goddess of the Nile River. Born on February 9 to mother Lola and father Nile, Anuket is Nile’s first daughter. She has spent fer first month bonding with her mother behind the scenes and can now be viewed in the Pygmy Hippo nursing suite located near the capybaras. She made her public debut Friday, March 14.

 Anuket is full of energy and eager to meet guests. Described as feisty yet full of love, she has already developed a strong personality and a particular fondness for watermelon. Her birth is especially significant as pygmy hippos are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This marks the eighth pygmy hippo birth at the Montgomery Zoo in the past nine years, highlighting the zoo’s dedication to conservation efforts.

 The Montgomery Zoo has a successful history of breeding pygmy hippos through the Species Survival Plan (SSP). The zoo’s previous calves—Ronda (2024), Meela (2023), Hadari (2022), Betty Rose and Blanche (2019), Levi (2018), and Monty (2016)—have all been placed at other accredited facilities to support the continued growth of this endangered species.

 Guests can visit the Montgomery Zoo’s other adult pygmy hippopotamuses in their permanent exhibit in the Africa realm. Anuket’s arrival reinforces the zoo’s ongoing commitment to wildlife conservation and education.

About Pygmy Hippopotamus

The pygmy hippopotamus is a large mammal native to the forests and swamps of western Africa. A cousin of the much larger common hippopotamus, the pygmy hippo is semi-aquatic and relies on proximity to water to maintain moisturized skin and a cool body temperature. Reclusive and nocturnal, it is a difficult animal to study in the wild. However, pygmy hippos have a history of breeding well in captivity. The World Conservation Union estimates that less than 3,000 pygmy hippos remain in the wild.

 Though pygmy hippos share the same general form as the hippopotamus, they grow to approximately half the height and one quarter of the weight of their larger cousins. Full grown, the pygmy hippo typically reaches 30-32 inches in height, 59-70 inches in length, and 400-600 lbs. in weight. It is estimated that pygmy hippos can grow to ten times their birth weight by the age of five months.

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The Montgomery Zoo and Mann Wildlife Learning Museum is a 42-acre zoological facility located minutes from the heart of historic, downtown Montgomery. The Montgomery Zoo features a variety of exotic animals native to Africa, Asia, Australia, North America, and South America. A trademark addition of the Zoo is the Mann Wildlife Learning Museum, housing the one of the Southeast’s largest collections of preserved North American wildlife, artifacts, and fossils. The Montgomery Zoo is a department of the City of Montgomery.

Zoo operating hours:  9:30 am – 4:30 pm with last admission ticket being sold at 3:30 pm.