Baby hippo at Guadalajara zoo becomes main attraction

A hippopotamus born last May has become the main attraction of summer for visitors to the Guadalajara Zoo. Although he was born on May 28, only a few days ago the public was able to meet this 56-kilogram male cub, who is under the protection of his mother, named Gina, said the communication manager of the park, Danae Vázquez. At just six weeks old, the little hippopotamus is restless, daring and tries to move alone in the water, always under the careful eyes of his mother, who is also born in this zoo. "Gina is an excellent mom, she is careful, loving and when she has to put limits, she puts them in. She still does not let the baby go to the deepest parts of the pool, but they stay in a smaller part where the baby can swim and be in the water" explains Vázquez. https://www.facebook.com/zoologicogdl/videos/10156564629539743/ For its birth, a special space known as "Kiboko Bwawa" was designed, a kind of beach where visitors can see the mother and the baby both in terrestrial space and underwater. Hippos are a species with thick skin, in addition to having transparent eyelids and can close their nostrils and ears to submerge for up to 20 minutes without going out to breathe. Their eyes, ears, and nose are aligned to stay on the surface while the rest of your body is submerged. For now, Tartúfo, the father of the baby, does not live with them since their caregivers decided that it was better for mother and son to have space to get to know each other and feel calm. The little hippo is already called Beto provisionally and in honor of a keeper of that species, although it is likely that he will change his name very soon. Hippos are the third species of heavier terrestrial animals on earth after elephants and rhinos and weigh between one and three tons.