Cantaloupe isn’t just a melon. It’s the name of the newest piglet at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk.

NORFOLK — In Hampton Roads, cantaloupe isn’t just fruit. It’s the name of the new red river hog piglet at the Virginia Zoo.

The piglet, named Cantaloupe — or “Lou” for short — was born June 20, and is spending time on exhibit with his mom, Tikiti.

The zoo has two female red river hogs and a 15-year-old male, Oboi — the piglet’s father.

Tikiti and sister Mrembo, also known as Remy, came to Norfolk in 2019 from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park as part of a breeding plan to maximize genetic diversity and the long-term sustainability of the hog population, according to the zoo.

Remy and Oboi have not met the newest addition yet, but can see him through the mesh in their night-house stalls. Tikiti and Lou are on display in the outdoor habitat in the mornings, while Oboi and Remy are outside in the afternoon.

Zookeepers are monitoring the mother and baby — who always have access to the indoor space — to increase the time they’re visible to the public.

The inspiration for the piglet’s name came from the mother’s name. Tikiti means watermelon, according to the zoo. Zoo keepers wanted to stick with a fruit-themed name.

Red river hogs, which are found in west and central Africa, are the most colorful members of the pig family, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. The pigs found in the west are typically red with a white stripe along their backs, but those found in the south and east can be red, black or brown.

The species is, on average, the smallest of the African pigs, according to the national zoo. Fully grown females usually weigh between 120 and 155 pounds. Males can weigh up to 250 pounds.

Jessica Nolte, 757-912-1675, jnolte@dailypress.com