GRAND RAPIDS, MI — A pygmy hippo named Jahari is now on display screen at John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids.
Less than design considering the fact that 2021, the new exhibit involves an outside area with a substantial pool, a mud wallow and an underwater viewing region. There is an indoor viewing space to permit attendees to see the pygmy hippopotamuses all calendar year round.
Pygmy hippos are at minimum 5 instances scaled-down than a typical hippo, but nonetheless weigh in between 400 and 600 pounds. They are about 4.5-6 feet lengthy and 2.5-3 feet high at the shoulder.
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In accordance to the zoo’s show, their habitat is “elusive, hiding in heavily forested rivers streams.”
The exhibit opened on plan very last week but with out fanfare just after the 8-calendar year-old pygmy hippo killed a sitatunga antelope named Chopper in the enclosure on Tuesday, May well 16. The incident took area as the two animals ended up becoming released for the to start with time with no a mesh barrier. The system was for them to live collectively in the new show.
Similar: Hippo that killed antelope at John Ball Zoo experienced no record of aggression, former zoo states
Jahari arrived from the Pittsburgh Zoo, in which Community Relations Supervisor Alex Cauley beforehand instructed MLive the hippo was a group preferred.
Cauley mentioned to her knowledge, Jahari experienced no intense incidents at the Pittsburgh Zoo, but did say that he lived on your own in his enclosure and has only at any time lived with other pygmy hippos.
Pygmy hippos, which are herbivores, do are living in peace with other animals at some zoos. For example, sitatungas and pygmy hippos are living jointly at the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, and at the Bioparc Valencia Zoo in Spain, a pygmy hippo lives with an Egyptian goose and a sitatunga.
John Ball Zoo beforehand declined to comment on the specifics of Chopper’s demise.
Officers have also earlier declined to remark on no matter whether the zoo nonetheless programs to introduce the other animals prepared for the show, together with a 3-year-old feminine pygmy hippo named Penelope from Canada and two European white storks named Ned and Skip Kay.
Jahari, a new pygmy hippo at John Ball Zoo, is pictured within his new show at the Grand Rapids zoo on Monday, June 5, 2023. The show opened on agenda but without having the fanfare immediately after the 8-12 months-outdated pygmy hippo, killed a sitatunga antelope named Chopper, in the enclosure past thirty day period. Jahari arrives to John Ball Zoo from the Pittsburgh Zoo. (Cory Morse | MLive.com)
Cory Morse | MLive.com
A group watches Jahari, the new pygmy hippo at John Ball Zoo. (Cory Morse | MLive.com)
Cory Morse | MLive.com
A group watches Jahari, the new pygmy hippo at John Ball Zoo. (Cory Morse | MLive.com)
Cory Morse | MLive.com
Jahari, the new pygmy hippo at John Ball Zoo. (Cory Morse | MLive.com)
Cory Morse | MLive.com
Jahari, the new pygmy hippo at John Ball Zoo. (Cory Morse | MLive.com)
Cory Morse | MLive.com
See a lot more pictures of the celebration in the photo gallery over or click here to see the gallery.
More from MLive:
Hippo road journey: How John Ball Zoo transported its new pygmy hippo to Grand Rapids
New pygmy hippos exhibit planned for John Ball Zoo
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