Edinburgh Zoo has announced that its newest pygmy hippo calf, born to mother Gloria on 31 July, will be called Annie, as keepers continue to give the pair quiet bonding time before public viewings begin.
Edinburgh Zoo has confirmed the name of its latest arrival: a pygmy hippo calf born to mother Gloria on 31 July has been named Annie, keepers announced on Tuesday.
The calf's birth was kept relatively low-key in its first days, with staff prioritising rest and bonding time for mother and baby over public appearances. Keepers said both Gloria and Annie have been doing well, spending most of their time feeding and sleeping as the calf builds up strength.
Pygmy hippos are notoriously private animals even by zoo standards, and far more elusive than their much larger river hippo cousins. In the wild, they are classified as endangered, with an estimated population of only a few thousand remaining across West Africa, making every successful birth in a managed breeding programme a meaningful contribution to the species' long-term survival.
Zoo staff have not yet set a firm date for when Annie will be visible to the public in the pygmy hippo house, saying only that updates will be shared on the zoo's social media channels once mother and calf are ready. In the meantime, visitors will have to make do with the occasional photo update rather than a first-hand look.
News of the calf's arrival, and now her name, has already drawn an enthusiastic response online, with well-wishers flooding the zoo's social posts with heart emojis and their own suggested names in the days before Annie was settled on.
For now, Edinburgh Zoo says the focus remains squarely on Gloria and Annie getting the peace and quiet they need, with the promise of plenty more updates — and eventually, sightings — to come.
