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Three days ago, when I was looking down at the hippos I discovered that an adult female from the Franco pod was behaving quite strangely. It kept turning over on its back. This is typical of a lactating mother, so I had a closer look and saw a little bundle following it in the water. The bundle turned out to be a newborn, about two or three weeks old. I don’t know why I didn’t see the baby earlier, but I think it may be because this mother is quite shy.
Hippos are the only large land mammals to give birth fully immersed in the water. As a result, babby hippos are immediately able to swim (The hippo’s closest relatives are the cetaceans - dolphins and whales). When they are born, they have to swim up to the surface to take their first gasp of air, which might be quite stressful for the mother.After that, the baby can keep its breath for about two minutes, but often sits on the mother hippo’s back for a rest. Usually hippo mothers milk their young in the water, but this one seems quite happy to role over in shallow water and let the young one suckle that way. We need to find a name for the baby hippo.
11 Comments posted on "A New Baby Hippo Born in Ishango"
Wim on July 24th, 2007 at 7:56 am
Although we don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl, as all the pods are named after male musicians maybe it’s time to name something after a lady musician?
sheryl on July 24th, 2007 at 8:20 am
Thanks for a spot of good news, Atamato. I hope the baby grows strong and makes lots more hippos in the future. s.
SCOLSON on July 24th, 2007 at 8:51 am
Awwwwwwww a new baby how sweet. I hope she or he has a great future and lives a long life..Steph
dr.antonio canella on July 24th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Thank you for your work mr. Atamato
Simon Griffin on July 25th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Congratulations!
Lauren on July 26th, 2007 at 12:01 am
It is wonderful to hear this good news. If it is a girl, her name should be Hope! Thank you for all the great work you and your rangers do. Be safe.
David on July 26th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
Thank you very much Atamato for the wonderful work you, and your men, are doing there. This birth is a great new ! A new hope… I would like to suggest the name of “Imani”. That means “faith” in Swhaili. I think this name may suit to this new born hippo (this is an unisex name). Best regards and take care.
Atamato on August 3rd, 2007 at 9:10 am
Dear readers Thank you for giving me the idea of naming the new baby hippo. please believe me. Yours faithfully. Atamato.
Atamato » Blog Archive » Keeping Faith on August 6th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
[…] is much change going on in every area of Virunga and as reported before, there is a newborn in the Franco pod of hippos and we have decided to go with David’s […]
Atamato » Blog Archive » How is the baby hippo doing? on September 26th, 2007 at 11:03 am
[…] the end of July I told you about a hippo that was born to the Franco pod here in Ishango. This hippo was named Imani, which means Faith in Swahili. Here […]
Karibu the hippo and his elephant playmate | Atamato on February 28th, 2008 at 10:06 am
[…] This is Karibu. He is from the Franco pod. […] Post a comment
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