The pygmy hippopotamus is a small, shy relative of the common hippo found only in the forests of West Africa. It is nocturnal and elusive, and most of what we know comes from zoos and camera traps.
Interesting facts
- Fewer than about 2,500 are thought to remain in the wild.
- Its skin produces a pinkish secretion that helps keep it moist and may protect against sunburn.
- It spends less time in water than the common hippo, sheltering in swamps and riverbanks.
- Pygmy hippos follow the same tunnels through dense vegetation night after night.
- In 2024, a baby pygmy hippo named Moo Deng became an internet star at a zoo in Thailand.
- Most of the wild population lives in Liberia.
Behaviour
Pygmy hippos are solitary or live in pairs. They rest in swamps or rivers by day and forage along forest paths at night.
Breeding and young
After a gestation of about six to seven months, a single calf is born, either on land or in water. The calf stays hidden while its mother feeds.
Threats and conservation
Logging, mining and farming destroy its forest habitat, and it is hunted for bushmeat.
Where to see it
- Sapo National Park, Liberia (rarely seen)
- Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire
- Gola Rainforest National Park, Sierra Leone
- Zoos with breeding programmes, such as Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Thailand
Status source: IUCN Red List. Profile last reviewed September 2026.
