Thursday, August 21
Au revoir, Toni: Berlin’s pygmy hippo moves to France
According to her keepers, Toni is ready to move on. The baby pygmy hippo has been one of the most popular attractions since her birth at Berlin Zoo on June 3, 2024, gaining a large online following. Now, however, she is moving to France — specifically to Mulhouse Zoo in Alsace, where she will occupy a new enclosure alongside a male pygmy hippopotamus and, in time, start a family of her own.
Toni is named after another famous Berliner: the German footballer Antonio Rüdiger. Her early life was unusual, as she was born one of twins (which is rare in pygmy hippos) and was therefore considerably smaller and lighter than average. Her twin died shortly after birth, while Toni went on to become one of the most famous animals at Berlin Zoo since Knut the polar bear — helping the official Instagram account grow its following from 125,000 to 254,000 since her arrival.
It is normal for pygmy hippos to move away after about a year. By that time the mother would naturally reproduce again, and, being solitary animals in the wild, young hippos leave their mothers. The Alsace zoo hopes Toni will one day have offspring of her own, though this will take time: pygmy hippos do not reach sexual maturity until the age of five.
Berliners wishing to bid adieu to Toni can do so this week. The zoo is holding regular “Toni Time” events between August 18 and 24, when visitors can watch the slippery little animal enjoying either a shower or a taste of her favourite snack: peanuts.
