Hippo calf born in Cape reserve
THERE is once again new life at Aquila Private Game Reserve and Spa after the birth of a hippopotamus.
The Anti-Poaching Unit and conservationists discovered the new baby hippo at the weekend, and said it would be monitored. Its gender might not be known for some time.
Baby hippos are born under water and weigh between 25kg and 50kg.
According to head ranger Memory Khumalo, the average lifespan of hippos is 36 to 40 years.
Female calves are introduced to the pod almost immediately after birth, while males are only introduced after about three months.
For about 18 months the calf stays mostly in the water and suckles both under water and on land.
Aquila said the birth was an important contribution to the worldwide conservation and understanding of these amazing creatures.
“We hope guests will see this adorable hippo calf on their Big Five safari and be inspired to take action to protect them in the wild,” said Khumalo. Aquila is a Big Five safari and spa destination, a less than two hours’ drive from Cape Town.
In December, the game reserve witnessed the birth of two healthy white rhino calves, which were born three weeks apart. The newborn hippo was the mother’s second calf. She gave birth to her first calf on December 16, 2015.
Female white rhinos are pregnant for about 16 months and give birth to only one calf. The calves are weaned when they are around two years old, and stay with their mothers until they are about three years old.
The mother of a calf is not likely to mate with a male again until her calf has left her to pursue its own life.