Social media has a new cute little celebrity to swoon over. After Moo Deng, a new pygmy hippo looks set to melt hearts on the internet. The tiny girl hippo was born at the Edinburgh Zoo a few days back and has already won over people working at the zoo.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland announced the birth of the endangered calf who was born to parents Otto and Gloria. The wildlife conservation charity has named her Haggis.
The Edinburgh Zoo introduced the adorable pygmy hippo on its social media page, posting a video, with the caption, “Moo Deng? Who deng? Introducing… Haggis.”
The hippo enclosure at the zoo will remain closed for some time, the zoo said, in order to ensure the well-being of the mom and the baby.
“Otto and Gloria have welcomed an ADORABLE pygmy hippo calf! She is doing well, but we’ll be keeping the hippo house closed for the time being so that our expert keepers can keep a close eye on mum and baby at this sensitive time,” the post added.
Moo Deng? Who deng? Introducing… Haggis 🏴
Otto and Gloria have welcomed an ADORABLE pygmy hippo calf! She is doing well, but we’ll be keeping the hippo house closed for the time being so that our expert keepers can keep a close eye on mum and baby at this sensitive time 🦛💛 pic.twitter.com/ceGtARuzyR
— Edinburgh Zoo (@EdinburghZoo) November 4, 2024
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Zoo officials already see immense potential in the baby hippo to attract visitors.
Jonny Appleyard, hoofstock team leader at Edinburgh Zoo, said, “Haggis is doing really well so far and it is amazing to see her personality beginning to shine already.”
“The first 30 days are critical for her development, so the pygmy hippo house will be closed for now to allow us to keep a close eye on mum and baby at this sensitive time.”
Thai Pygmy hippo Moo Deng
Pygmy hippos are classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN). They are native to the forests of West Africa and are incredibly rare, with only 2,500 estimated to be roaming in the wild.
Appleyard talked about the viral Thai baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng who has become an incredibly popular attraction at the zoo and on social media.
“While Thailand’s Moo Deng has become a viral global icon, it is important to remember that pygmy hippos are incredibly rare.”
“It is great to have our own little ambassador right here in Edinburgh to connect with our visitors and help raise awareness of the challenges the species face in the wild.”
Moo Deng became a viral hit with merchandise, cakes, beauty accessories and more based on the hippo taking over the world by storm. The Thai zoo saw visitors triple in number because of Moo Deng. She has two siblings – Moo Toon (stewed pork) and Moo Waan (sweet pork).