The John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids is abuzz with excitement over the anticipated arrival of a pygmy hippo calf. Penelope, the zoo's female pygmy hippo, and her mate Jahari are expected to welcome their first calf this August, as shared in an announcement last Friday obtained by WZZM 13. Acknowledging the significance of the event, the zoo stated, "This is an exciting milestone for both Penelope and the conservation of this incredible species."
Penelope's pregnancy has become a focal point for visitors at the zoo, enticing families and enthusiasts to "visit Penelope and her perfectly round belly," a description touted by the zoo's social media accounts. Acutely, some zoo-goers made observations about the ultrasound they shared earlier, trying to ascertain the identity of the expecting animal. In a Facebook comment that demonstrated some knowledge of anatomy, one commenter detailed what they saw, "Well it has a spine, a beating heart, and what appears to be short little legs. Of course the skull. I'm going to vote for pygmy hippo," as reported by WZZM 13.
The romantic arc leading to the pregnancy began after Penelope's arrival from the Toronto Zoo in the summer of 2023, which followed Jahari's relocation from the Pittsburgh Zoo earlier the same year. The pair, yet to be publicly seen together in the habitat due to safety concerns, were carefully introduced after a tragic incident in which Jahari attacked and killed a sitatunga antelope, as noted by MLive. The event prompted the John Ball Zoo to update their animal safety policies.
While the calf is an addition to Grand Rapids' zoo family, it is also vital for the preservation of pygmy hippos as a species. Less than 3,000 remain in the wild in Western Africa, and the expected birth represents a notch in the Species Survival Breeding Plan, per the zoo's ambitions. Painted a kid-friendly picture of the mother-to-be, zookeepers described Penelope as "a sweet, sassy, stubborn girl who enjoys lettuce and has a soft spot in everyone's hearts," according to a WZZM 13 report.
Soon visitors to John Ball Zoo will have the chance to see the result of a cautious courtship between the two hippos. Jahari's dark past, with the introduction to Chopper leaving the antelope dead, was cautiously handled as staff saw an opportunity for redemption through controlled cohabitation with Penelope, as per WOOD TV.
