Our new pygmy hippo has a name: “Udo,” which means “peace” in Igbo, a native language of Western Africa. Pygmy hippos are endangered in the wild, a victim of habitat loss and illegal hunting. pic.twitter.com/9xeImJ0ljK
— San Francisco Zoo (@sfzoo) October 14, 2022
The San Francisco Zoo & Gardens revealed on Friday that a two-year-old male pygmy hippopotamus named “Udo”—which means “peace” in Igbo—has recently moved in, becoming the first member of this endangered species to be kept at the zoo since 2004 and that it is charming everyone, including big cats.
While the cats can only watch Udo from afar, the pigmy hypo is an endangered specie and its integration with the San Francisco Zoo is to help in its survival.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature says there are estimated to be less than 3,000 pygmy hippo individuals left, but their numbers are likely declining due to poaching. Udo seems to be enjoying interacting with the public and zoo staff and some leopards have spotted the pigmy but they are far away from it, rest assured they can’t come near to catch it.
