A Virginia Zoo Now Has Its Own Moo Deng—See the ‘Adorable’ Baby Pygmy Hippo Born in December

The world is getting another Moo Deng. On December 9, the Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia welcomed a newborn female pygmy hippo (Choeropsis liberiensis). After some time being raised behind the scenes, the youngster made her public debut this week.

“She’s a curious and brave little pygmy hippo,” Jan Lopez, lead zookeeper at the Metro Richmond Zoo, says to WAVY’s Allison Williams. And already, the baby is showing her personality: “She sometimes has her little zoomies, and she’ll hop around.”

Thailand’s own baby pygmy hippo named Moo Deng won hearts around the world last year. Videos of the hippo’s sassy personality and bouncy antics went viral in September, aided by her zookeeper at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo sharing daily footage of her on Instagram. Then, another newborn pygmy hippo named Haggis skyrocketed to fame at the Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland.

As for the latest baby, “I hope she becomes the next Moo Deng,” Lopez tells Kyle Swenson of the Washington Post.

Baby Pygmy Hippo Born Just Before Christmas

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The “adorable pygmy hippo calf” is the third one born to parents Iris and Corwin in the last four and a half years, according to a statement from the Metro Richmond Zoo. The delivery was distinctive, because it marked the first time that Iris, the pygmy hippo’s mother, gave birth in the enclosure’s pool. “That was unique,” Lopez says to the Washington Post. The species can give birth in water or on land. “But the birth went very smoothly. They immediately started the bonding process.”

“Many keepers were present, and a few zoo guests even witnessed the miraculous birth,” according to the zoo’s statement. “The baby’s natural instincts kicked in, and she started moving around in the water immediately.”

Five days after her birth, the zoo gave the baby hippo a health exam and determined she was female, weighing a healthy 15 pounds. Full-grown pygmy hippos can reach between 350 to 600 pounds.

While she doesn’t yet have a name, the zoo has launched an online poll where voters worldwide can give their input on what the baby should be called. During the first round, voters could choose between four potential names: Poppy, Omi, Juniper and Hammie Mae. Since a clear winning name was not decided, the zoo opened a second round of voting. Now, it’s a run-off between Poppy and Hammie Mae. Poppy was chosen as an option because it’s a type of flower, like her mother’s name, and Hammie Mae is a southern tie to Virginia ham. The final voting deadline is January 4 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, with the winning name to be announced on January 6.

Pygmy hippos are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with less than 2,499 mature individuals left. They are found in forests, savannas and wetlands of West Africa. Habitat loss and hunting have decimated their population numbers. Although endangered, pygmy hippos breed well in captivity.

The viral baby hippos’ lovable characteristics, such as their blushing cheeks and shiny skin, are caused by secretions called blood sweat. Blood sweat is a pink fluid that pygmy hippos ooze out to keep cool in humid climates and to protect their skin from sunburns. It also gives the hippos their slick appearance.

“Baby hippos are really the coolest things,” Lopez tells the Washington Post.

Elizabeth Gamillo | | READ MORE

Elizabeth Gamillo is a correspondent for Smithsonian and a science journalist based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has written for Science magazine as their 2018 AAAS Diverse Voices in Science Journalism Intern.