Ever wondered what it would be like to swim with a hippo?
Say hello to Tapon - our 15 year old pygmy hippo at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo!
Pygmy hippos are Endangered in the wild, found only in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Ivory Coast. The species is under threat due to habitat loss and mining, and ZSL has worked with these enigmatic yet highly elusive animals in Liberia's Sapo National Park and the Loma Mountains in Sierra Leone.
Tapon is an important ambassador for his species, has contributed to the EEP breeding programme by producing three offspring, and is a firm favourite with our visitors. Thanks to keeper Mark for this amazing video!
We’re now facing another Easter without any visitors and we really need your support to continue to care for our animals while we're closed: zsl.org/donate.