It was an October surprise: On Halloween, a 10-year-old hippopotamus on birth control welcomed a baby.
The first time on the high dive is always the toughest.A photo posted by The Los Angeles Zoo (@thelosangeleszoo) on Nov 11, 2014 at 7:33pm PST
The hippo was the first one born at the Los Angeles Zoo in 26 years, and it was a shock considering the mother, Mara, was on birth control. The staff doesn't want to interrupt bonding time between Mara and the unnamed calf, so they haven't been able to get close enough to find out the sex of the baby.
Officials say that they had an inkling something was up when Mara began to gain weight, but weren't able to conduct a pregnancy test. They guessed that if she was indeed pregnant, the baby would be born in November. Mara went into labor at 1 p.m. Friday, the Los Angeles Times reports, and visitors in her exhibit were able to witness the birth.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Can Trump put his tariffs on stronger legal footing?Today's Big Question Appeals court says 'emergency' tariffs are improper
-
Film reviews: The Roses, Splitsville, and TwinlessFeature A happy union devolves into domestic warfare, a couple's open marriage reaps chaos, and an unlikely friendship takes surprising turns
-
Thought-provoking podcasts you may have missed this summerThe Week Recommends Check out a true crime binger, a deep-dive into history and more
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
