Toronto Zoo officially names pygmy hippo calf 'Maple'

The Toronto Zoo has officially named its new baby pygmy hippopotamus.

In a news release Friday, the zoo said the three-week-old female calf will be called Maple. 

"This little Canadian icon is every bit as sweet, spirited and sassy as her name suggests," the Toronto Zoo said.

Maple is Canada’s only pygmy hippo calf. The only other pygmy hippos in the country are her parents, Kindia and Harvey.

"She truly is Canada’s baby," the zoo said, adding Maple’s name celebrates a country that has embraced her with open arms. "Like the maple leaf itself, Maple represents something uniquely Canadian: beloved, resilient and shared by us all."

To commemorate the naming, the Toronto Zoo launched a limited-edition pygmy plush toy with Maple’s name embroidered on it.

The calf is not currently available for guests to view. On its website, the Toronto Zoo says Maple has spent the last few weeks bonding with her mom, whom she loves staying close to.

WATCH | Maple's mom, Kindia, reveals the baby pygmy hippo's name:

She currently weighs 10.8 kilograms, is starting to grow teeth and is exclusively nursing, according to the zoo. 

Maple has a big personality and the zoo says she is becoming more curious and adventurous, even exploring the water and practicing her breath holds.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature says only about 2,000 to 3,000 pygmy hippos are believed to remain in the wild.

In July, thousands of people flocked to a Thai zoo to celebrate the second birthday of Moo Deng, another baby pygmy hippo that has become a social media sensation.