Anyone who has to ask why there’s a holiday dedicated to pygmy hippos obviously hasn’t seen these magnificent creatures. They’re just adorable, so why wouldn’t you want to dedicate a holiday to them? Okay, we’re being a little bit facetious here. This holiday isn’t just about the cuteness factor of these animals.

It’s actually more about raising their profile so they can be saved from extinction. The pygmy hippo is facing a lot of challenges, and that’s why we have to do our part to help save them. The way to do just that is by observing Pygmy Hippo Day when it shows up on our calendar on April 8th.

The History of National Pygmy Hippo Day

In 1849, pygmy hippos were first discovered, and they were placed in their own genus: Choeropsis. This small hippopotamid is native to the swamps and forests of West Africa, particularly in Liberia, but can also be found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and the Ivory Coast. They used to be found in Nigeria as well, but they have been totally destroyed in that country.

Although we’re unsure of the date when National Pygmy Hippo Day was created, we do know that this holiday was created after the Zoological Society of London deemed that only 2,000 of these species were left in the wild and were on the verge of extinction. This day continues to be observed because pygmy hippos are still in serious trouble.

Observing National Pygmy Hippo Day

We encourage everyone to spread the news about this holiday using the hashtag #NationalPygmyHippoDay. This allows other people to learn about this holiday so they too can work towards protecting these animals.

We also encourage people to learn more about pygmy hippos and what they can do to prevent them from becoming just another extinct species. We shouldn’t let that happen because, with every animal species that goes extinct, we come closer to our own doom.