The ABQ BioPark has announced the birth of a new hippopotamus calf, which arrived on Tuesday, October 14. The calf was born to Karen, one of the hippos at the BioPark, with animal care staff observing from a distance during labor and delivery.
“With animal care staff monitoring from a distance, Karen the hippo went into labor this morning and had a successful delivery around 9:10 am. She then began bonding with her new calf, who looks to be healthy and in good shape,” said Lynn Tupa, BioPark associate director.
The animal care team reported that both Karen and the calf are doing well. The gender and name of the calf have not yet been determined. Since the birth, the hippo habitat has been closed to visitors to provide privacy for Karen and her calf. The closure is expected to last for a few days, after which guests will be asked to keep their voices low in the area to support the animals’ comfort.
“Karen’s a very good mother,” said Bricker Thietten, a member of the hippo care team. “During this time we keep our distance, read her behavior, and work with her to make sure all her needs are met while she bonds with the calf.”
Hippo calves are typically born and nursed underwater, able to hold their breath and walk immediately after birth. At birth, they generally weigh around 50 pounds or more.
“As far as the baby, it’s Karen’s choice on what she’ll allow,” said Thietten. “Once she starts to bring the baby inside, we’ll start getting as close as we can to start early health assessments, but it’s really 100% up to Karen.”
Moe, another longtime resident of the BioPark, is the father of Karen’s new calf as well as her three previous calves. Moe will turn 52 years old in two weeks. Matilda, their 4-year-old daughter, now has a sibling for the first time.
“It will be interesting to see how Matilda acts towards the baby,” said Thietten. “this will be the first baby that Matilda has ever seen.”
Observing Karen care for her new calf may help Matilda gain experience for potential motherhood in the future. The birth also changes the herd’s social dynamics, as hippo mothers are very protective in the early months. Karen may spend less time with Moe and Matilda during this period and could display some confrontational behavior, which staff note is normal for postpartum hippos. Animal care staff will monitor interactions closely and may separate herd members if needed.
“In the wild, expecting mothers leave the herd to give birth and bond with the calf before they bring it back to the group, so she just instinctively doesn’t want the other hippos too close by,” Thietten explained. “The other hippos are pretty good at reading her body language though, and listening to what she’s saying, but it usually takes a couple of months before things go back to normal.”
Hippopotamuses are native to Africa and are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The birth of each calf contributes to ongoing conservation efforts.
“Hippo babies are the most fun animal I’ve worked with in my 20-plus years of being a zookeeper,” said Thietten. “They’ve got so much personality, and I’m super excited about having four hippos in the pool again.”
Photos and videos of the new calf are available, and media opportunities at the ABQ BioPark Zoo have been offered for further coverage.
