Haggis the pygmy hippo is moving to another zoo as part of the breeding programme for the endangered species. Visitors to Edinburgh Zoo have until Sunday 26 October to see the hippo before she leaves.
In the wild, young pygmy hippos leave their parents when they are around one year old. As Haggis approaches her first birthday on 30 October, she is already starting to distance herself from mum Gloria.
Jonny Appleyard, hoofstock team leader with Royal Zoological Society of Scotland in Edinburgh, said: “Although we will be sad to see Haggis go, she is off to play her part in the breeding programme for this rare species. Pygmy hippos don’t reach sexual maturity until three to five years old so it will be a while before she might have her own little one.
“Despite only being a year old, Haggis has been a wonderful little ambassador, connecting with our visitors and helping raise awareness of the challenges pygmy hippos face in the wild.”
The pygmy hippo is native to the forests and swamps of West Africa, primarily Liberia. It is estimated that just 2,500 remain in the wild due to habitat loss.
Visitors looking to say goodbye to Haggis before she leaves can book tickets online and save edinburghzoo.org.uk/tickets
All images © RZSS
