Parco Natura Viva welcomes Italy’s first hippo calf since 2021

A hippopotamus calf has been born at Parco Natura Viva, the first in Italy since 2021. Camilla, a female almost 55 years old, has given birth to her fifteenth young there. The birth took place in the water, and during its first days the calf began following its mother out of the pond on still-uncertain steps.

Camilla has reached a record age: she is considered Europe’s oldest hippopotamus and has lived at Parco Natura Viva since 1976. After an eight-month pregnancy, she gave birth independently in the pond. For the first three days she did not leave the water, only beginning to come out once the calf was able to follow her.

The calf weighs about 50 kilograms, while its mother reaches 2,500. It spends a great deal of time nursing underwater and, when tired, uses its mother’s muzzle for support so it can stay afloat and conserve energy. Mother and calf may remain motionless for many hours, also to protect themselves from the sun and keep their bodies cool.

“Camilla arrived at Parco Natura Viva in 1976, just three years after the first safari opened,” recalled Camillo Sandri, the facility’s zoological director. According to Sandri, the birth is particularly significant because the hippopotamus has already raised 14 calves and has exceeded the life expectancy normally associated with the species.

The newborn belongs to a species classified as vulnerable to extinction on the IUCN Red List. In the 39 African countries where hippopotamuses still occur, their survival is threatened by the loss and fragmentation of freshwater habitats, pollution, extractive activities and hunting.

The ivory trade, involving the large canine teeth and incisors, is another factor. Between 2009 and 2018, CITES data recorded international trade in parts and derivatives linked to approximately 13,900 hippopotamuses. The newborn, which lives with its family and a group of nyala antelopes, may not yet be approached; the measure will remain in force over the coming weeks.