Particle.news
Download on the App Store
3 ARTICLES
·
2h ago

Rare Hippo Twin Birth at Berlin Zoo Leaves One Undersized Survivor

Twin births in hippopotamuses occur in about 1% of documented cases.

Image
Tragische Zwillingsgeburt bei den Flusspferden im Berliner Zoo
Eine Flusspferddame im Berliner Zoo hat Zwillinge zur Welt gebracht. Eines der Babys starb allerdings direkt nach der Geburt am 28. September, wie der Zoo in der Hauptstadt mitteilte. Das zweite Junge kämpfe sich nun ins Leben, hieß es.

Overview

  • Berlin Zoo said Tuesday that 13-year-old Nala delivered male twins about a week and a half ago, with one newborn dying shortly after birth.
  • The surviving calf weighed 28 kilograms at birth, compared with the species’ typical newborn weight of around 40 kilograms.
  • Zoo staff report close monitoring of nursing and weight gain to ensure the calf’s development.
  • Nala has separated from the group for the early weeks of motherhood, which curators note is normal hippo behavior.
  • The zoo highlighted that hippopotamuses are listed as threatened with increasingly fragmented habitats and sharp regional declines, including across much of the Nile.