The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs shares an update after welcoming a "surprise" Red River Hog baby.
On September 4, 2024, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo shared the news that their 8-year-old Red River Hog had become a first-time mom. Take a look.
The zoo shared a first-look video of the cute new baby on social media and released details on the "surprise" birth.
Related: Abilene Zoo Announces Birth of Adorable Tiny Red River Hog Piglet
"Welcome, baby Red River hoglet! Finn, the mama, and baby are bonding behind the scenes," the video caption reads.
In the video, we see the proud new mama, who is very interested in the camera, and her tiny baby, who's not far behind her.
The baby is so small but super adorable. It has the same reddish-brown fur with lighter-colored stripes, cute pointy ears, and an adorable little tail.
In the clip, the baby is searching the ground and smelling. As the mama leaves the camera's view, the baby notices how far their mom has gotten, and they storm out of the camera's view in an adorable small run.
“It may seem strange to some, but Red River hog babies are some of the cutest in the whole animal kingdom with their striped markings, tiny statures, and energetic behaviors,” Amy Tuchman, senior keeper in African Rift Valley, shared in a press release about the baby birth.
“Little one and mom seem to be doing great. We’re seeing a lot of nursing, napping, and activity from the baby. It likes to climb over Finn’s face, and we’ve seen it jumping and running when it gets little bursts of energy. Finn is really sweet and patient with it.”
The zookeepers call this a "surprise" because they hadn't confirmed Finn's pregnancy. They just walked in one morning, and there was the little one.
"Although first-time dad, Gus, and Finn had been seen breeding, keepers were not certain a baby was on the way," the zoo explains in its press release. But everything seems to be going very well for the new little family.
"Finn’s keepers say she has embraced her hoglet with all of the key behaviors they want to see from a first-time mom," the zoo writes. "The baby is nursing regularly, Finn nuzzles and cleans the baby, and the baby gets ‘zoomies’ in the comfort of their indoor den."
So far, the zookeepers have been very hands-off and letting the new mama do her thing. "Because Finn and the hoglet have been bonding well, animal care staff are unlikely to handle the baby unless there’s a medical need," the zoo shares.
"The baby’s sex has not been identified and likely won’t be for another several weeks. In keeping with CMZoo tradition, the baby likely won’t be named for at least 30 days."
Facts About Red River Hogs
According to the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute , Red River Hogs are "are also called 'tufted pigs' due to their long, white whiskers and tufts found on the ears," and they're the "most colorful" member of the pig family.
They typically live around 15 years in human care, grow up to 50 inches, and weigh up to 285 pounds. The institute explains that their native habitat is "primarily in rainforests and adjacent savanna. "
"They can also be found in dry forests and cultivated areas not far from rainforests, preferring lots of brush to forage and hide in."
They're considered "least concern" for conservation efforts and have "proven to withstand habitat change well."
Their greatest threat is humans, who hunt the species in central Africa, and the animals are protected in many areas in their natural space.
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