On December 21 last year, Thu Le Zoo received a female hippo from Dai Nam Zoo in the southern province of Binh Duong. The animal gave birth to a male hippo on July 23 this year.
The baby hippo and its mother
According to Pham Ngoc Anh, head of the zoo's elephant and hippo breeding team, the mother and baby hippos are monitored 24/7 with special care. The team changes the water daily and reduces the tank's water level to help the baby hippo adapt to its environment.
The baby hippo is over three months old, thriving, and weighing nearly 100 kilos.
The baby hippo weighs nearly 100 kilos
"We give more vitamins and supplements to the mother so that it can produce enough milk for its child," Ngoc Anh added.
Hanoi Zoo has planned to organise a naming contest for the baby hippo.
At weekends, the baby hippo's appearance helped draw more visitors to the hippo enclosure.
The elephant and hippo breeding team has 11 staff members, including a veterinarian, who rotate in caring for the mother and baby hippos.