Mini hippopotamus to join the family Photo: Courtesy of NIFREL


Adventure World is pleased to announce that one female mini hippopotamus (3 years old) will join the family from NIFREL (Suita City, Osaka Prefecture) on Monday, April 7, 2025. The Park will resume the breeding of mini hippopotamuses for the first time in approximately four years, with the aim of promoting their appeal and breeding them to preserve their species and maintain their genetic diversity.
　The mini-hippopotamus is a rare animal listed as endangered (EN) on the Red List of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), and its conservation is being promoted worldwide. In Japan, only 13 minivas are kept at five facilities. *Not including Adventure World

[About the mini hippopotamus joining us from Nifrelle]
・Sex: Female
・Date of birth: Born on June 18, 2021 (3 years old) *Born in Nifrelle
・Nickname: Ten Ten
・Planned delivery date: April 7, 2025 (Monday)

*The release is undetermined. It will be announced again on the official website and SNS.

About mini-hippos]
Mini-hippos are a small species of the hippopotamus family that inhabit only limited areas of West Africa.
■ Scientific name
Choeropsis liberiensis
■ English name
Pygmy Hippopotamus
■ Classification
Even-toed ungulates Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus) family Cervus
■ Population
Estimated to be 2,000 to 2,500 in the wild and extinct in Nigeria and elsewhere.
Habitat
Forests and swamps in West Africa
■Life span
15-20 years in the wild 35-40 years in captivity
■Characteristics
Lives alone and is nocturnal. Grows to about 1.7 m in length and 270 kg in weight.
■Food
Feeds on grass, leaves, and fruit. In captivity, they are fed hay, green grass, sweet potatoes, and fruits.
■Breeding
Sexual maturity is 3-5 years old. Gestation period is about 6 months.

The mini-hippopotamus is in danger of extinction due to habitat destruction and overhunting. We will continue to contribute to the preservation of the species by spreading the word about its current status.