Rare baby hippo born

Updated 23.14 Fri Nov 07 2008
Keywords: zoo, animal, sydney, pygmy zoo, monifa, taronga zoo, australia

Australia's Taronga Zoo has shown off its latest addition - a three-week-old pygmy hippopotamus.

Monifa only weighs 6kg and is the size of a puppy.

"Every hippo that's born in a zoo is helping to support the declining wild population" - Senior zookeeper Renae Zammit

The zookeepers at the Sydney zoo said she is doing great.

Senior keeper Renae Zammit said the birth of Monifa is extremely important as "every hippo that's born in a zoo is helping to support the declining wild population."

Less than 3,000 pygmy hippos are believed to be left in the wild.

The endangered hippos inhabit the lowland tropical forests of western Africa.

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