Pygmy hippopotamus population that freely breeds in zoos around the world. Between 1970 and 1991 the population of pygmy hippos born in captivity more than doubled. The survival of the species in zoos is more certain than the survival of the species in the wild. In captivity, the pygmy hippo lives from 42 to 55 years, longer than in the wild. Since 1919, only 41 percent of pygmy hippos born in zoos have been male. While the common hippopotamus was known to Europeans since classical antiquity, the pygmy hippopotamus was unknown outside its range in West Africa until the 19th century. Due
Pygmy owl deposits in Poland (Mlíkovský 2002). Pygmy owl Pygmy owls are members of the genus Glaucidium. They belong to the typical owl family, Strigidae. The genus consists of about 26 to 35 species distributed worldwide. The exact number of species is somewhat disputed. These are mostly small owls, and some of the species are called "owlets". Most pygmy owl species are nocturnal and hunt mainly large insects and other small prey. "Glaucidium" forms a paraphyletic group with "Surnia". The supposed prehistoric species ""Glaucidium" dickinsoni" is now recognized as a burrowing owl, probably a paleosubspecies "providentiae". Bones of an indeterminate "Glaucidium" have