Rare baby hippo finally has a name: meet Hugo!

Hugo is doing really well Credit: Bristol Zoo

A rarebaby pygmy hippo born at Bristol Zoo has been named after a popular vote.

Meet Hugo:

The name Hugo, which is of German origin, means "Bright in Mind and Spirit" or "intelligence".

The Zoo held a Facebook poll to pick the name, and Hugo emerged as a firm favourite:

Hugo, who was born to parents Sirana and Nato in the Zoo’s Hippo House in August, is said to be doing well and already has a strong personality.

John Partridge, Senior Curator of Mammals at Bristol Zoo, said: “Hugo is a happy and healthy little boy. He’s very playful, especially with his mum. He is a keen swimmer."

The little one has a big personality! Credit: Bristol Zoo

Sirana is a very protective and attentive mother and likes to have Hugo close by. Keepers say she will defend him fiercely and engages him in play by splashing him and even tossing him gently into the air with her nose.

The pygmy hippo has been assessed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is thought less than 2,000 of these animals survive in the wild.

Males are even rarer than females, which makes Hugo a vital part in helping the future of his species.

What are pygmy hippos?

  • much smaller than the common hippopotamus

  • proportionally longer legs

  • a smaller head

  • less prominent eyes

  • ears more towards the side of the head

  • the pygmy hippo's nose and ears can be closed underwater, an adaptation to aquatic life