Newborn hippo active, say zoo authorities

A hippo born at the city zoo on Saturday night is healthy and active. The yet-to-be-named baby hippo was born to Vimala, a 13-year-old hippo, and Gokul, a 11-year-old hippo that died on January 31 this year following liver problems. The two adults had mated before the death of the male hippo.

The baby appears to be doing fine considering that it and the mother hippo survived an attempted attack by other female hippos. Following the incident, the other hippos were moved to a separate enclosure. Last year, one male hippo had died after a similar attack.

The zoo authorities track how well the newborn hippo can float in water, its breath holding capacity, and how frequently it sucks milk under water to determine its overall health in the days ahead.

In April last year, a hippo named Bindu had given birth to a female offspring named Babli. Though hippos live in small groups, they move apart when they are ready to deliver a baby. A few days after giving birth, the mother and child reunite with the group. Bindu and Babli too are back with their bloat.

Besides Vimala, there are four adult female hippos and one baby hippo Babli at the zoo. However, there are no male hippos left. The zoo authorities are crossing their fingers that the newborn is a male.