North American Common Hippopotamus Population

Yazziel said:
Kiboko and Cleopatra have welcomed a male calf named Chibuzo at the Gulf Breeze Zoo

South Santa Rosa News
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This is amazing news because first of all, this is the first birth of a Nile Hippo in the US in two years, and also, it is good to see that Gulf Breeze got one more calf out of Cleopatra, who is getting older at 39 years old, and had not had a calf in nine years! The article is wrong when it states it is her third calf, as it is actually her fifth (Niles in 2005, Kayin/Howdy in 2008, Tank in 2010, Cairo in 2015 and now Chizubo in 2024).
 
Nile Hippo Expert said:
This is amazing news because first of all, this is the first birth of a Nile Hippo in the US in two years, and also, it is good to see that Gulf Breeze got one more calf out of Cleopatra, who is getting older at 39 years old, and had not had a calf in nine years! The article is wrong when it states it is her third calf, as it is actually her fifth (Niles in 2005, Kayin/Howdy in 2008, Tank in 2010, Cairo in 2015 and now Chizubo in 2024).
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Would there be any reason for the lack of births in resent years?, perhaps less zoos keeping them?
 
Jambo said:
Not really, although there did seem to be a baby boom a few years ago with most of the pairings birthing calves around that period.
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It would be interesting to know the overall population size in North America
 
Lupe on the left and Amahle on the right. These 2 are becoming friends and Ama is really wanting that!! I bet they will be best friends by Christmas!!

I have enjoyed many hours watching all 3 interact and watching it all unfold is just awesome!!

I am very thankful to live so close and see these girls a few days a week!!

This picture was from a video. I don't know how to post links here.


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Since it has been nearly three years since the last population update and some recent changes and discoveries to the population, I thought I'd make an updated list for you guys.

Updated population list as of 12/2/2024
There are 83 (28.54.1) hippos living at 33 facilities in the US and Canada at the moment, 4.7.1 in Canada and 24.47.0 in the United States,

CANADA
12 animals (4.7.1) at 5 facilities:

Calgary Zoo - Calgary, Alberta - 1.1.0
0.1, Sparky - May 30, 1987 - Flagstaff x Perky
1.0, Lobi - October 31, 2006 - Kiboko x Polita

Greater Vancouver Zoo - Langley Township, British Columbia - 0.2.0
0.1, Hazina - December 28, 2003 - Kiboko x Polita
0.1, Habey - November 8, 2005 - Kiboko x Polita

Safari Niagara - Fort Erie, Ontario - 1.1.1
1.0, Bobo - November 22, 2000 - Henry x Polita
0.1, Gladis - February 9, 2003 - Kiboko x Polita
0.0.1 unknown - June 2024 - Bobo x Gladis

Toronto Zoo - Toronto, Ontario - 0.2.0
0.1, Petal - July 15, 1986 - Patriarch x Sirene
0.1, Perky II - May 23, 1991 - Patriarch x Sirene

Zoo de Granby - Granby, Quebec - 2.1.0
1.0, Kiboko - August 27, 1992 - Foggy x Sparky
0.1, Polita - June 1997 - Ignacio x Ramona
1.0, Coumba - February 27, 2017 - Kiboko x Polita


UNITED STATES
71 animals (24.47.0) at 28 facilities:

Adventure Aquarium - Camden, New Jersey - 0.2.0
0.1, Button - March 22, 1997 - Ate x Madre
0.1, Genevieve - July 10, 2000 - Ignacio x Viviana

Aggieland Safari - Bryan, Texas - 1.0.0
1.0 Howdy - unknown - unknown x unknown

Albuquerque BioPark Zoo - Albuquerque, New Mexico - 1.2.0
1.0, Moe - November 3, 1973 - Foggy x Misty
0.1, Karen - October 10, 2001 - Tumbo x Uma
0.1, Matilda - July 19, 2021 - Moe x Karen

Busch Gardens Tampa - Tampa, Florida - 1.2.0
1.0, Moyo -September 11, 1996 - Bertie x Samantha
0.1, Kita - September 7, 2006 - Moyo x Moxie
0.1, Devi - March 23, 2015 - Otis x Funani

Capital of Texas Zoo - Wyldwood, Texas - 1.0.0
1.0, Tank - August 23, 2010 - Kiboko x Cleopatra

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - Colorado Springs, Colorado - 2.2.0
0.1, Zambezi - December 14, 1992 - Bertie x Samantha
0.1, Kasai - September 28, 1999 - Bertie x Samantha
1.0, Biko - October 29, 2002 - Norman x Binti
1.0, Omo - July 21, 2021 - Biko x Zambezi

Cincinnati Zoo - Cincinnati, Ohio - 2.2.0
0.1, Bibi - February 7, 1999 - Henry x Rosie
1.0, Tucker - May 18, 2003 - Ignacio x Tuma
0.1, Fiona - January 24, 2017 - Henry x Bibi
1.0, Fritz - August 2, 2022 - Tucker x Bibi

Dallas Zoo - Dallas, Texas - 1.3.0
0.1, Boipelo - July 17, 2006 - Moe x Karen
1.0, Augustus - January 13, 2018 - Henry x Tuma
0.1, Adanna - May 14, 2019 - Adhama x Boipelo
0.1, Kalo - October 30, 2022 - Augustus x Boipelo

Denver Zoo - Denver, Colorado - 1.0.0
1.0, Mahali - December 11, 2002 - Bertie x Samantha

DeYoung Family Zoo - Menominee County, Michigan - 0.1.0
0.1, Wallace - unknown - unknown x unknown

Disney’s Animal Kingdom - Bay Lake, Florida - 3.8.0
0.1, Viviana - January 22, 1975 - Purzel x Amema
1.0, Ignacio*castrated - ~1990 - Unknown x Unknown
0.1, Ramona - ~1990 - Unknown x Unknown
0.1, Tequila - August 25, 1993 - Ate x Vija
0.1, Mezcal - November 17, 1993 - Ate x Madre
0.1, Panchita - ~1994 - Ignacio x Ramona
1.0, Henry - June 24, 1995 - Stenek x Brandy
0.1, Tuma - November 3, 1996 - Wilhelm x Helvetia
1.0, Hans - June 4, 2001 - Henry x Tuma
0.1, Rosie - October 31, 2014 - Adhama x Mara
0.1, Greta - July 12, 2021 - Henry x Tuma

Ellen Trout Zoo - Lufkin, Texas - 0.2.0
0.1, Nakili - March 21, 1999 - Norman x Mezcal
0.1, Jazi - July 7, 2003 - Jabba x Funani

Fort Worth Zoo - Fort Worth, Texas - 0.3.0
0.1, Daisy - August 18, 1984 - Tumbo x Uma
0.1, Jonesy - September 1, 1984 - Happy x Arusha
0.1, Bubbles - July 16, 1993 - Tumbo x Uma

Gulf Breeze Zoo - Santa Rosa County, Florida - 2.1.0
1.0, Kiboko - September 14, 1996 - Kiboko x Sirene
0.1, Cleopatra - July 1, 1985 - Flagstaff x Perky
1.0, Chibuzo - September 23, 2024 Kiboko x Cleopatra

Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park - Homosassa, Florida - 1.0.0
1.0, Lu - January 26, 1960 - Rube x Lotus

Honolulu Zoo - Honolulu, Hawaii - 0.2.0
0.1, Louise - September 14, 1991 - Bertie x Samantha
0.1, Mara - September 24, 2003 - Pancho x Nakili

Kansas City Zoo - Kansas City, Missouri - 0.2.0
0.1, Liberty - September 15, 1986 - Tony x Maggie
0.1, Cairo - April 18, 2015 - Kiboko x Cleopatra

Louisiana Purchase Zoo - Monroe, Louisiana - 1.0.0
1.0, Monreaux - November 17, 2012 - unknown x unknown

Memphis Zoo - Memphis, Tennessee - 1.3.0
0.1, Splish - December 25, 1988 - Uebi x Julie
0.1, Binti - April 23, 1998 - Bertie x Samantha
1.0, Uzazi - June 21, 2000 - Norman x Rosie
0.1, Winnie - March 23, 2017 - Uzazi x Binti

Milwaukee County Zoo - Milwaukee, Wisconsin - 1.0.0
1.0, Happy - January 4, 1981 - Joe Smith x Arusha

Philadelphia Zoo - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 0.2.0
0.1, Cindy - July 7, 1989 - Patriarch x Siren
0.1, Unna - August 13, 1989 - Jeepers x Lady

Saint Louis Zoo - St. Louis, Missouri - 0.3.0
0.1, Tombi - March 1, 1999 - Norman x Viviana
0.1, Mashavu - August 31, 1999 - Jabba x Funani
0.1, Kiboko - June 1, 2001 - Jabba x Funani

San Antonio Zoo - San Antonio, Texas - 1.1.0
0.1, Uma - August 9, 1974 - Norman x Matilda
1.0, Timothy - April 14, 2015 - Moe x Karen

San Diego Zoo - San Diego, California - 0.3.0
0.1, Funani - July 30, 1984 - Cupid II x Bubbles
0.1, Guadalupe - November 11, 1999 - Henry x Panchita
0.1, Amahle - February 8, 2020 - Otis x Funani

Sedgwick County Zoo - Sedgwick County, Kansas - 0.1.0
0.1, Sweetie Pie - September 2, 1971 - Bertie x Petena

Toledo Zoo - Toledo, Ohio - 1.1.0
0.1, Emma - August 8, 1995 - Bertie x Samantha
1.0, Herbie - August 2, 2000 - Cupid II x Emma

Topeka Zoo - Topeka, Kansas - 1.0.0
1.0, Vision - August 20, 2010 - Tucker x Mara

Wildlife Safari - Winston, Oregon - 2.0.0
1.0, Padron -August 8, 2000 - Norman x Mezcal
1.0, Tony - September 22, 2017 - Otis x Funani
 
Nile Hippo Expert said:
Aggieland Safari - Bryan, Texas - 1.0.0
1.0 Howdy - unknown - unknown x unknown

DeYoung Family Zoo - Menominee County, Michigan - 0.1.0
0.1, Wallace - unknown - unknown x unknown

Louisiana Purchase Zoo - Monroe, Louisiana - 1.0.0
1.0, Monreaux - November 17, 2012 - unknown x unknown
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A few side notes about these individuals that I haven't seen noted in this thread yet (except the last):
  • Howdy was imported from Mexico (I'd wager a bet he's from Guadalajara's group but can't be certain)
  • Wallace was imported from Indonesia and born in Jakarta (I'm unaware of any holders there besides Ragunan)
  • Monreaux was born in Poland and imported from Serbia (Belgrade?)
Thank you so much for this update and all of your work with this thread in general! We're so grateful :)
 
csartie said:
A few side notes about these individuals that I haven't seen noted in this thread yet (except the last):
  • Howdy was imported from Mexico (I'd wager a bet he's from Guadalajara's group but can't be certain)
  • Wallace was imported from Indonesia and born in Jakarta (I'm unaware of any holders there besides Ragunan)
  • Monreaux was born in Poland and imported from Serbia (Belgrade?)
Thank you so much for this update and all of your work with this thread in general! We're so grateful :)
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What do the numbers mean? Thanks
 
Hey, I'm curious at to the state of the the hippo ssp in general from someone who more knowledgeable than I am lol.

Like there seems to not be many breeding groups as one might expect. Is this a space issue? I know their expensive to house and a lot of facilities have smaller, outdated exhibits. I think I read somewhere a while ago that the TAG program is pushing facilities to house groups of 4-8 individuals instead of the common pair or trio . Is this true? Is the SSPs future looking ok genetics wise?
 
Eletan888 said:
Hey, I'm curious at to the state of the the hippo ssp in general from someone who more knowledgeable than I am lol.

Like there seems to not be many breeding groups as one might expect. Is this a space issue? I know their expensive to house and a lot of facilities have smaller, outdated exhibits. I think I read somewhere a while ago that the TAG program is pushing facilities to house groups of 4-8 individuals instead of the common pair or trio . Is this true? Is the SSPs future looking ok genetics wise?
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The current gene diversity is 94.24% and projected to decline to 86.7% in the next hundred years.
The population target by 2027 is 65, as there is decreasing interest in holding them.
The breeding population includes 25 males and 50 females, with pedigrees only 58% known. The SSP is doing cheek swabs to try to get a better handle on the genetics of hippos of unknown pedigree.
I too remember the hope that facilities would plan to house 4 to 8 individuals, but I regret I don't have time to look this up. Someone else will know, I am sure.
 
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