Adorable Baby Pygmy Hippo Takes His First Dip

This precious baby pygmy hippopotamus named Obi recently went for his first-ever swim under the close and caring watch of his mama. The hippos, who reside at Melbourne Zoo, are especially dear to zoo staff and visitors due to their endangered status. According to the zoo staff,

"The name Obi means heart in the Nigerian Igbo language, and he is certainly melting a few hearts here at Melbourne Zoo. Obi has grown quickly from his birth weight of around 5 kilos, putting on roughly 500 grams a day and now weighs over 13 kilos. He has been leaning to swim in the nursery yard pool and passed with flying colours. Today marked an important milestone for Obi as he ventured into the deeper water of the exhibit. Wild Sea Manager, Justin Valentine said ‘he loves the water and spends hours in the small pool, so he is ready for the next step."

Image and Video: Melbourne Zoo | Via Laughing Squid 

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