A baby pygmy hippopotamus born on April 24 at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo made its first public appearance Wednesday.
This is the first time in 37 years that a pygmy hippopotamus born in the zoo has lived more than a few days, officials said.
Two others born to the same couple, Ebony, 11, and Shohei, 10, in 1999 and 2000, both died shortly after birth, they said.
Mainly found in western Africa, the pygmy hippopotamus is often called a "living fossil" because of its rarity.
An adult pygmy hippopotamus weighs somewhere between 160 kg to 270 kg and reaches only 170 cm to 180 cm in length. An ordinary hippo, however, weighs an average of 1.5 tons and grows up to 5 meters in length.
The 3-week-old baby, a female, weighs 11.5 kg. Toddling around and bathing with her mother, the hippo, as yet unnamed, seems to be enjoying herself, officials said.
Ueno zoo has seven pygmy hippopotamuses -- two males and five females. The zoo will be asking visitors to suggest names for the baby between Saturday and June 3.