After a gap of three years, a hippopotamus has given birth to a calf at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park or Vandalur zoo here.
The 15-year male Vaambhuri and the eight-year old Pragati have given birth to the young one, taking the total number of hippopotamus in the zoo to five, officials said.
Females generally keep their offspring in their custody for at least a year, they said.
While destruction of habitation and hunting activities have reduced this species around the world, hippopotamus are now seen only in Congo Republic, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Gamba and South Africa.
Hippos are also the third largest land mammal after elephants and rhinos, they said.
AAZP is the largest zoo in the country spread over 1,490 acres in the city suburbs.
