The first baby hippopotamus in 26 years has been born at the Los Angeles Zoo, according to NBC.
The healthy calf was born on Halloween, and visitors who happened to stop by the hippo exhibit were able to see a live hippo birth, NBC reported.
The mother, 10-year-old Mara, was on birth control, so the pregnancy was a surprise to zoo staffers, according to The Associated Press. The father is 3-year-old Adhama, who came from the San Diego Zoo in June 2013.
The female hippo was on birth control, so staffers at the zoo had no idea she was even pregnant, though they had notice the mother hippo was gaining weight, CNN reported.
The zoo said in a release that Mara went into labor Friday while in her outdoor pool but chose to gave birth on dry land, and animal care staff was close by to help, but all went well, according to CNN.
Vets have not yet determined the newborn's sex, but they say the baby is doing well and bonding with mom, the AP reported. The public can visit the mother, father and baby on exhibit daily.
