What Do You Call A Group of Hippos?
Gulf Breeze Zoo Now Home To Pygmy Hippos

EW Bullock recently collaborated with the Gulf Breeze Zoo to announce the arrival of six African pygmy hippopotamuses to Northwest Florida and help spread the word about why they are here. Interestingly, a group of hippos is known as a “bloat”. The six miniature hippos now have a new exhibit and breeding center to call home, thanks to the Gulf Breeze Zoo. The Zoo is making a long-term commitment to conserving the endangered species’ population by introducing a new breeding program locally.

EW Bullock was tasked with writing a press release and getting the word out to the local media about the newest attraction to the Gulf Breeze Zoo.

These cute new residents were well received by the media and garnered some great press coverage:

• Gulf Breeze Zoo adds six west African pygmy hippos to its exhibit, breeding center – PNJ
• Photo gallery: West African pygmy hippos find a home in Gulf Breeze – PNJ
• A ‘bloat’ of west African pygmy hippos now calls Gulf Breeze home – Navarre Press
• Pygmy Hippos Find a Home at The Zoo – Gulf Breeze News
• Gulf Breeze Zoo adds six west African pygmy hippos to its exhibit, breeding center – Spot On Florida
• Gulf Breeze Zoo adds six west African pygmy hippos to its exhibit, breeding center – The Daily Advent

 

Today, one pair of hippos, named Queyah and Qiu Hsiang, is on display at the Gulf Breeze Zoo for visitors and guests to learn about and appreciate. The remaining four hippos — Zhu Chang, Sirana, Ayana, and Abina — are in an off-exhibit breeding center, specially constructed to meet this reclusive species’ unique needs.

These six hippos were selected to contribute their valuable genetics to the current U.S. population. In addition, the Gulf Breeze Zoo is working with other dedicated zoological parks to ensure that a sustainable population of this species is maintained.

A healthy zoo-based population of pygmy hippos will serve as a backstop to extinction. In the future, this will be a valuable reservoir to draw from if reintroduction efforts are needed.