Public Radio for the Piedmont and High Country
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Greensboro Science Center hosts rare pygmy hippo birth

The Greensboro Science Center is celebrating the arrival of a rare pygmy hippo. 

The calf was born on May 24 to parents Holly and Ralph, who had been recommended for inclusion in the Greensboro Science Center’s breeding program. It’s the first pygmy hippo born at the center.

One official called the arrival a “monumental milestone.”

According to a news release, there are just ten breeding pairs of pygmy hippos in Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ institutions.

Pygmy hippos are native to West Africa and are considered endangered, with less than 2,500 adults estimated to remain in the wild. While the common adult river hippo can weigh up to two tons, the diminutive pygmy hippos top out at about 600 pounds.

The as-yet-unnamed calf is said to be doing well, with Holly proving to be “a very vigilant and caring mother.”

The pygmy hippo family will reside in Revolution Ridge, the science center’s 12-acre space devoted to raising awareness about endangered species.  

Neal Charnoff joined 88.5 WFDD as Morning Edition host in 2014. Raised in the Catskill region of upstate New York, he graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983. Armed with a liberal arts degree, Neal was fully equipped to be a waiter. So he prolonged his arrested development bouncing around New York and L.A. until discovering that people enjoyed listening to his voice on the radio. After a few years doing overnight shifts at a local rock station, Neal spent most of his career at Vermont Public Radio. He began as host of a nightly jazz program, where he was proud to interview many of his idols, including Dave Brubeck and Sonny Rollins. Neal graduated to the news department, where he was the local host for NPR's All Things Considered for 14 years. In addition to news interviews and features, he originated and produced the Weekly Conversation On The Arts, as well as VPR Backstage, which profiled theater productions around the state. He contributed several stories to NPR, including coverage of a devastating ice storm. Neal now sees the value of that liberal arts degree, and approaches life with the knowledge that all subjects and all art forms are connected to each other. Neal and his wife Judy are enjoying exploring North Carolina and points south. They would both be happy to never experience a Vermont winter again.

Support quality journalism, like the story above,
with your gift right now.

Donate