The calf spent most of its debut swimming in the habitat's 120,000-gallon pool
The Dallas Zoo debuted there adorable hippo on Saturday — as if you needed another reason to love Saturdays.
Hippo mom Boipelo proudly led her little calf into their zoo habitat this past weekend, and the pair “made themselves right at home,” according to Megan Lumpkin, one of the zoo’s animal care supervisors.
This home includes a 120,000-gallon pool, which Boipelo and her baby quickly made use of on Saturday. The duo spent most of the calf’s debut swimming the entire pool and paddling up to the glass to look at visitors face-to-face.
“The calf seems to be very curious and looks around at people, but Boipelo is keeping it well protected and close by her side. She is a very attentive mother!” Lumpkin added about the debut.
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Boipelo has kept the calf close since the baby’s birth on May 14, so keepers have not been able to determine the little hippo’s sex.
The Dallas Zoo is happy to see Boipelo and her baby bonding so well and are excited to share the calf’s many approaching milestone with zoo visitors.
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“This calf has captured our hearts, and we’re thrilled to now be able to give the public a chance to watch this baby grow, explore, and continue to bond with mom. Boipelo’s mothering instincts remain spot-on, and the baby is clearly ready to meet its adoring fans,” sHarrison Edell, Dallas Zoo’s executive vice president of animal care and conservation, said in a statement. “This debut in the habitat is the culmination of weeks-worth of planning and constant evaluation by the hippo team. But it’s also the first of many milestones we’re looking forward to with baby and mom.”