Picture of the Day: Baby Hippo Smiles for the Camera

The baby hippo in this picture was born in late November at the Berlin Zoo, yet it took some time before the staff decided that it was well-behaved enough to let it sit for a professional photo shoot.

As the picture shows, the baby hippo is very much similar to a toddler, meaning that, rather than using its own feet to get around, it prefers to ride on its mother's back.

Sources report that the calf also has two sisters, which unfortunately chose to stay clear of the camera. It is quite likely that it was their shy nature that determined them to not make an appearance.

The baby hippo is presently roughly the size of its mother's head and needs to be closely monitored to make sure it does not get itself into trouble out of sheer ignorance, but it won't be long before it grows to be an impressive animal.