Staff at the Los Angeles Zoo knew something was up when Mara, the resident hippo, began putting on some holiday-season poundage ... and their suspicions were confirmed when she gave birth to a surprise baby on Halloween – even though she was on birth control!
Managing captive breeding programmes is not easy – in order to maintain a healthy gene pool and keep animal numbers in check, zoos in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums follow breeding recommendations in each animal's 'Species Survival Plan'.
Contraceptives provide zoos with a healthy way to stick to the plan, while allowing animals to be part of a more natural mixed-sex group. For many social animals (like hippos), this is a better option than splitting the males from the females ... but just like in humans, there is always a small risk of unplanned pregnancy!
Zoo visitors got the special treat of watching the calf's 2.5 hour birth – the first at the LA Zoo in over 26 years! The sex of the baby has not yet been determined, but both animals are reportedly healthy and beginning to bond. Zoo staff will continue to monitor the calf's progress until it can be separated from mum for its first check-up.
Cute
In The Field
Predator vs Prey
