The John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has a new pint-sized celebrity on its hands—or rather, in its waters. The zoo’s latest arrival, a baby pygmy hippo born on September 3, has been christened with the name Hugo, following a public naming contest that garnered considerable local interest. Hugo, the offspring of pygmy hippo parents Penelope and Jahari, comes in at a healthy 11 pounds and represents a significant addition to an endangered species, with fewer than 2,500 estimated to be left in the wild, as reported by ClickOnDetroit.
Hugo’s debut has been making waves online thanks to the John Ball Zoo’s efforts to keep the public engaged. They’ve been sharing snippets of Hugo and Penelope, the calf’s mother, as they bond in a private setting. However, Hugo isn’t relegated to the shadows; fans can catch glimpses of his life through the zoo’s social media and a baby hippo livestream, anticipating his first public habitat appearance later in October, according to WZZM13…