One of my favourite enclosures at Barcelona Zoo are the pygmy hippos. I don’t know if it’s because theirs is the most tropical. Lots of different types of palms, big lush tropical green leaves that makes me feel like I’m in my own tropical world.
Maybe it’s because they’re the cuter smaller version of their larger cousins. They only grow about 70-80cm in height! Super tiny compared to their cousins who can weight anything from 1,500kg to 4,500kg! While their cousins prefer to the rule the rivers in parts of Africa, these guys prefer the Upper Guniea forests and swamps of west Africa and spend more time on land than in water. Sadly, thanks to habitat destruction and being hunted for bushmeat they’re currently listed as endangered with an estimated 2000 left in the wild. They always seem happy in the moment, make the cutest chirps, love take laps around their pools, eating hay, watermelons and love playing with buoys and traffic cones.This guy or chica a few weeks ago was having way too much fun with a traffic cone. You can flip it, kick it, chew it, throw your head back in excitement and dance around kicking up dust!Have a great weekend!
