What to know
- Toronto Zoo is expecting a pygmy hippo calf, as 20-year-old Kindia is due in late July; staff are closely monitoring the high-risk pregnancy of the endangered species.
- The zoo is also awaiting a Bactrian camel calf, with 11-year-old Suria set to give birth soon; the species is critically endangered with fewer than 950 left in the wild.
- 2026 has already seen multiple births at the zoo, including otter triplets in March and a Masai giraffe named Imara in February, highlighting ongoing conservation efforts.
A new addition is coming to the Toronto Zoo, in the form of little feet and a big bite, marking yet another birth at the zoo for 2026.
Kindia, a pygmy hippopotamus, is expecting her own calf, with zoo staff confirming the baby will come around late-July if all goes well.
The Toronto Zoo said in an Instagram post on Tuesday that while they’re excited, they’ll also be keeping an eye out on the pregnancy and post-partum stages.
“Caring for a pregnant pygmy hippo comes with both hope and caution,” they wrote in part. “…Calf survival for this species can be challenging. Our dedicated Wildlife Care and Health teams are closely monitoring her through behavioural observations and ultrasounds, and are ready to support her every step of the way.”
The father of the expected calf is a 31-year-old male hippo named Harvey, who the 20-year-old female was introduced to in January.
Kindia also isn’t a first time mom. She successfully gave birth to her daughter Penelope in 2018.
Pygmy hippos are considered Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with less than 3,000 believed to be in the wild.
The unnamed, upcoming pygmy hippo baby could possibly mark the sixth addition to the zoo since the year began.
Camel calf incoming
Before Kindia was confirmed pregnant, the Toronto Zoo announced on Sunday, April 12 they were expecting an addition to the Eurasia Wilds pavilion, with an 11-year-old female Bactrian camel named Suria pregnant with her third calf.
Suria is part of a herd of eight Bactrian camels.
The species is listed as Critically Endangered, with less than 950 camels left in remote parts of Mongolia and China.
Suria is expected to give birth at any moment, with the initial timespan given by the zoo being the end of April to early May.
Otter triplets
For the first time in over forty years, the Toronto Zoo said they welcomed otter pups to the Americas pavilion on March 28.
Maybelle gave birth to triplet otters, and as a first-time mom, zoo keepers will be keeping a close eye on the mom and her pups as she recovers and gets her footing. The Toronto Zoo has shared otter pubs stay with their mothers for up to 9 months.
Zoo goers may be able to take a glimpse of the little family as Maybelle teaches her babies how to swim when they reach around 8 to 10 weeks old.
Giraffe calf
A baby Masai giraffe was born on February 22, with a public poll settling on the name Imara for the new girl.
The name Imara was chosen among four others. It is of Swahili descent and translates to strong, firm, and resilient.
Imara was able to stand just 34 minutes after she was born, which is considered on the earlier side for masai giraffes according to the zoo.
Imara’s birth came just over a month after her father, a 13-year-old male giraffe named Kiko, passed in a tragic accident, after his head got stuck in an opening door.
Imara and her mother Mstari are the only Masai giraffes at the Toronto Zoo.
