COLORADO SPRINGS — The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has a new baby Red River hog!
The zoo suspected that Zena, the Red River hog mom, was expecting and it was confirmed when they saw the two resting last Friday morning.
“We are over the moon with excitement for this little one,” said Lauren Phillippi, the lead keeper in African Rift Valley. “Red River hog babies are some of the cutest in the whole animal kingdom with their little stripes, tiny statures and energetic behaviors.”
The new addition is nearly the size of Zena's snout.
Red River hoglets usually have a watermelon pattern with spots that act as camouflage when they're born, however, that fades after six months.
Zena's keepers say she embraced the hoglet and the baby is nursing regularly.
Additionally, the keepers say the baby gets the 'zoomies' and runs around the indoor den.
The zoo says the baby's sex has not been identified and most likely won't be for a few weeks. The baby will also not be named for about 30 days, in keeping with the zoo's tradition.
Zena is now a second-time mom. Her first hoglet, Pinto, was born at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in April 2021.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will provide updates on when mom and baby will make their debut.
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