Portal de Murcia
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The nature and animal park Terra Natura Murcia has hosted for the first time the birth of a baby hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) in their facilities.
So this complex Murcia has become one of the few zoos in Spain that has gotten the captive breeding of this large herbivore.
Lolita and guitarist, and called the mother and the father of the young, have released their fatherhood with the arrival of this issue that at birth weighed about 15 kilos.
Before you spend a year hippopotamus rearing reach 200 kilos.
Caregivers suspected that the female was pregnant by the time that had produced the ride, but so far had not been confirmed scientifically, because the weight gain in this species is a clear and reliable indicators to detect pregnancy due to the large size of his body.
The weight gain that occurs during pregnancy in this species is hardly perceptible to the human eye and therefore can not be taken as a valid indicator.
The experts noted Murcia Terra Natura, a few days ago that the female had stopped eating, one of the few clear signs showing this species when preparing to give birth to a baby.
Given this change in behavior, heightened control and observation of the female.
Three days after you stop eating, Lolita finally gave birth to her first foal in a match that lasted just 30 minutes.
After birth, keepers saw that the baby was too small.
Therefore, comprehensively monitor the baby hippo in order to control the whole process is normal postpartum, and that the baby gets up and accompanies the mother to breastfeed.
The weight of the hippos at birth often vary depending on the size of the mother, so a baby can weigh between 15 and 40 kilos at birth.
In the case of males as adults this weight may be around 3,000 kilos.
Lolita 11 years old, not separated from breeding for a moment.
While guitarist of 14 years kept a safe distance, because the mother is sometimes a bit aggressive with your partner.
Both animals, whose longevity is between 40 years, are now in their childbearing years and have had first offspring at the resort Murcia.
Although they are herbivores and reassurance from their appearance, hippos are one of the species that cause most deaths among humans in Africa, and sometimes venture into food crops and are extremely territorial.
One of the curiosities of this species is the red liquid oozing naturally to protect their thin skin from solar radiation.
When expel this substance gives the impression that the animal sweats blood.
Source: Agencias
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