It is now three weeks since Monifa the pygmy hippo was born in Sydney's Taronga Zoo.
Monifa (which means 'I am lucky' in Nigerian) could have died within days of being born but was cared for by two dedicated zoo staff who have been with the pygmy hippo twenty four hours a day, initially needing to gently coerce her into feeding from a small syringe..
The hippo keepers, Tracy Roberts and Renae Zammit never left the 3.8kg infant's side and so were always there to hand feed and care for Monifa. The two keepers were even sleeping along side the pygmy hippo to ensure it wanted for nothing during it's first weeks of life.
Those early, shaky days are now over though and Monifa has now dounbled in weight, is able to drink on her own from a bowl and been moved into her own pen.
The pygmy hippopotamus is in fact a native of the forests and swamps of western Africa and is a nocturnal creature. It is considered to be semi-aquatic and so needs to live in the proximity of water so that it can keep it's skin moist and it's body cool.
Not being a meat eater, the hippo is herbivorous and will eat any grasses, fruits, plants or leaves that it can find in it's location. Now considered an endangered species, there are estimated to be less than 3,000 pygmy hippos left in the wild. This is mainly due to forests being cleared and other changes of habitat but also due in part to hunting and poaching and even war in certain parts.
The last pygmy hippo to be born at Taronga Zoo was in fact Monifa's father, Timmy, who was born twenty three years ago. Monifa is expected to grow to around one metre in height which is around half the size of normal hippos.
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