The calf is a female and the daughter of our pygmy hippo, Betty. As a caring first step, Betty kept her baby safely tucked away in their den during the first week after birth. Since then, mom and calf have begun spending much more time outside and can now be seen together during most pygmy hippo encounters.

Visitors may occasionally notice them returning to their den for rest and quiet time, but the baby is becoming more active each day and is adjusting well to her new surroundings.

We’re thrilled to share this special moment with our guests and look forward to watching this little hippo grow.

Book Pygmy Hippo Encounters

Baby Hippo Naming Contest — Vote Now!

We’ve selected the four most popular name options, and we want YOU to help us choose the winner!

Vote for your favorite name by commenting on our Facebook post:
FaceBook Contest

Pebbles
Belle
Venus
Marmalade

Don’t love any of those? No problem — write-in votes are welcome too!
Tell us why your name is the best, and don’t forget to invite your friends to vote as well.

One lucky voter will be randomly selected to win a Boulder Ridge Family Prize Pack, which includes:

• 2 Adult Tickets
• 2 Kids Tickets
• Additional Boulder Ridge goodies

We can’t wait to see what names you pick!

The post Baby Pygmy Hippo born! first appeared on Grand Rapids Zoo - Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park.

At Boulder Ridge, MJ’s arrival is about more than just numbers. He’s part of our ongoing mission to protect wildlife, educate the public, and pioneer the future of conservation. Zoos and aquariums play a crucial role in safeguarding species, supporting scientific research, and inspiring communities to act on behalf of our planet’s incredible biodiversity.

We’re proud to see MJ embark on this new chapter at Boulder Ridge WAP. His presence here will help propel vital conservation efforts and serve as a beacon for wildlife enthusiasts and supporters alike.

Thank you for being a part of our vibrant community. We can’t wait to see how MJ inspires you to learn more about and engage with wildlife conservation. Stay tuned for updates on his progress and for more behind-the-scenes stories from Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park.

Come on out and meet MJ here at Boulder Ridge.

Open for Spring Break through Sunday and then open weekends in April (except for Easter Sunday) until we open in full for the season May 1.

The post Introducing MJ – Our New Indian Rhino at Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park! first appeared on Grand Rapids Zoo - Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park.

Welcome to 2025 at Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park! This year, we’re excited to present to you our New Baby Giraffes.

We are so blessed and excited to announce the healthy birth of another baby Giraffe here at Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park!

And you can meet both of our baby Giraffes right now!

Yes, we have Giraffe sisters! Both baby Giraffes have been born here this off-season and are doing well!

Our newest baby was a bit smaller at about 5 ft tall and weighing 75 lbs. She is the daughter of Opal, one of our newer adult Giraffes, and we are also so proud to say that Opal is doing a wonderful job as a mother!

And we have so much more that we can’t share just yet…

Thank you all and come visit us to meet the new baby giraffes and see both the old and new animals in person!

The post New Baby Giraffes first appeared on Grand Rapids Zoo - Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park.