PHOTOS: Meet Walter — The Newest Red River Hog Piglet at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

The Red River Hog piglet that was born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge on Mother’s Day finally has a name: Walter.

Walter at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Dr. Mark Penning, Vice President of Animals, Science & Environment for Disney, posted some pictures on his Instagram page of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge’s newest addition. A Red River Hog piglet was born this year on Mother’s Day — May 14 — and was finally given a name, Walter.

Dr. Mark wrote “You may catch Walter wallowing in the mud, playing with his family, and exploring his new home on the Pembe Savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.”

When Walter was first born, Dr. Penning took to his Instagram page to share the announcement:

This Mother’s Day, we celebrate all the moms in our lives, including the animal moms our team cares for…like this ‘a-boar-able’ red river hog mom and piglet at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge! Mom Daisy delivered this healthy and spunky piglet last month, and both are spending time backstage bonding. Soon he’ll join the seven members of the red river hog family, also known as a ‘sounder,’ on Pembe Savanna. From our dedicated team of animal care experts, happy Mother’s Day to moms of all species!

Earlier this year, Beni the Okapi was also introduced to the Pembe Savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

A yellow-backed duiker calf was born in Disney’s Animal Kingdom last month, marking the first time this has happened in over 20 years.

Join us in welcoming Penny, our newest addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park! This sweet yellow-backed duiker calf was born earlier this month to mom Pearl. The birth of Penny is an incredible milestone, as the last yellow-backed duiker calf born in our care was over 20 years ago. This birth is truly special to me, as yellow-backed duikers are one of my favorite animals. It’s been a pleasure working with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan to introduce this unique species to our guests. Mom and baby are backstage now, but you can look out for this adorable pair on Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail later this summer.

Yellow-backed duikers are shy forest-dwelling antelope found in portions of and Central and Western Africa. They are the largest of all duikers. While not yet considered endangered, they are categorized as “Near Threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature — meaning they may be vulnerable to endangerment in the forseeable future.

What’s your favorite recent animal birth at Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments.

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