Dallas Zoo Welcomes 'Much-Anticipated' Newborn Hippo After Two and a Half Hours of Labor

A tweet from the Dallas Zoo surfaced on Twitter where they announced the birth of the newest member of their facility—an adorable baby hippopotamus. The news of the little one's arrival was a delight for the zoo authorities.

There's no doubt that hippos are one of the deadliest animals for humans, but that doesn't stop us from obsessing over this baby hippo from Dallas, Texas. The mother, Boipelo, has been gaining netizens' attention after delivering her little one.

While the officials at Dallas Zoo are unsure if it's a boy or a girl, they know that the baby hippo is healthy. The animal team waited for the calf's birth for weeks while monitoring Boipelo's pregnancy.

Delivering Her Baby

According to Dallas Zoo, Boipelo went into labor two and a half hours before delivering her calf. The zoo authorities noticed labor symptoms around 3 p.m. on October 30, 2022.

Boipelo remained underwater as her labor progressed. Meanwhile, the authorities didn't want to disturb her, so they left her alone. However, they placed multiple cameras to capture the magical moments of her little one's birth.

The camera footage also helped the animal team monitor Boipelo's progress. Like many other mother hippos, Boipelo gave birth to her calf underwater in the barn, and within an hour, the little one began nursing.

They Bonded Quickly

The footage uploaded by Dallas Zoo shows the heartwarming bond between the baby and mama hippo. The little one is also seen taking its first few steps on the grass while following Boipelo.

This is not the first time Boipelo made it to online media after giving birth.

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" Dallas Zoo

. The tweet also confirmed that Boipelo and her baby were "doing well."

The Little One

According to experts, Boipelo's baby weighed around 50 to 60 pounds, typical for newborn hippos. Before giving birth to her baby, the mother lived in a habitat with her daughter Adanna, but now she will spend time with her newborn.

Once the little one grows old enough to mingle with other hippos, the zoo authorities will introduce the calf to the habitat. Meanwhile, Adanna will stay there with the newborn's father, Gus.

The Online Reaction

When netizens learned about the birth of this new member of Boipelo's family, they couldn't help but adore the little one. Here are some of the comments they left on Facebook:

"The cutest! They always look like they're surprised or laughing when they're little!"

— (@Jeesica Koontz) November 10, 2022

"Every new baby in the wildlife world is a blessing."

— (@Julia Cummins) November 10, 2022

"That's great news, and congratulations to all of the zoo staff."

— (@Deborah Campbell) November 10, 2022

"We in Cincinnati share your joy. Our Fiona and little brother were born here. Best wishes to your new baby!"

— (@DeRhonda Adams) November 8, 2022

"I've been so envious of Cincinnati Zoo's new baby hippo. I'm so happy we have a baby hippo in Dallas now too!"

— (@Anne Marie) November 9, 2022

The First Baby

This is not the first time Boipelo made it to online media after giving birth. Online media outlets featured her after her daughter, Adanna, came into this world in May 2019.

A month after Adanna's birth, zoo officials allowed her to move into the habitat with her mother, where the visitors could interact with them. According to the authorities, the little one soon dipped into the pool after following her mom into the habitat.

"The calf seems to be very curious and looks around at people, but Boipelo is keeping it well protected and close by her side," said Megan Lumpkin, one of the animal supervisors at the Dallas Zoo.

After sharing Boipelo and her newborn's video on Twitter, Dallas Zoo authorities asked netizens to stay tuned for more updates. We can't wait to see what the mom-baby duo is up to!

If you enjoyed reading about Boipelo and her babies, don't forget to share this story with your friends and family. Reading about cute little hippos will surely brighten up their day.

Click here to find out how the Cincinnati Zoo paid a powerful tribute to a one-year-old boy who died unexpectedly. The authorities wanted to lessen the parents' pain by paying a grand tribute to their son.