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Last year, Moo Deng the baby pygmy hippo from Thailand rose to stardom for her cute yet quirky looks. Now, there’s a new cutie in the neighborhood, and she’s just as adorable. Metro Richmond Zoo in Richmond, Virginia, recently welcomed a baby pygmy hippopotamus, and asked the public to help them name her. After a worldwide voting campaign, the tiny creature is now known as Poppy.
The baby pygmy hippo was born on Christmas Eve, weighing a healthy 15 pounds at birth. She is the third calf in the last four years for her parents, Iris and Corwin. “Poppy is the perfect name for this playful, perky, and ever-increasing popular hippo,” writes the zoo. “Her name is a flower just like her mother Iris.” Her big sisters are are named Violet and Petunia, forming an adorable bouquet of pygmy hippos.
The other name option for the new baby was Hammie Mae, a nod to Virginia ham. The poll was a very tight race, with voters from all over the world chiming in. In the end, over 116,000 votes were cast from all 50 states and 165 countries. In-person voting at the zoo gave the local crowd a bit of extra power as each submission counted for double votes. In the end, “Poppy” won with 52.8% of total count.
With this initiative, the zoo not only hopes to bring Poppy closer to the public, but also to raise awareness about this species’ plight. “The pygmy hippo is an endangered species native to the swamps and rivers of West Africa,” they explain. “Less than 2,500 mature individuals remain in the wild. This birth—like all of Iris’ births—plays an important role in helping protect this rare and elusive species.” The team adds that, unlike common hippos, pygmy hippos do not live in groups and are usually solitary or in pairs—which is why Poppy’s big sisters, who are already grown, live in a different facility in the zoo, as Poppy will too one day.
For now, Poppy is already on view, having made her zoo debut on January 3, 2025. So, what’s next for Poppy? “She will continue learning how to be a pygmy hippo from mom,” the zoo says. “She has already started nibbling on some solid foods, and will only eat more and more each day. Poppy is going to grow so quickly.”
Should you visit the zoo soon, you can find Iris and Poppy in the indoor pool area. The zoo shares that when the weather is warmer and Poppy grows a little more, both her and her mom will be moved to the outdoor habitat, which has a large pool with underwater viewing windows.
To stay up to date with Poppy, you can follow the Metro Richmond Zoo on Instagram.
Meet Poppy, the adorable baby pygmy hippopotamus recently born at Metro Richmond Zoo in Richmond, Virginia.
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The baby pygmy hippo was born on Christmas Eve, weighing a healthy 15 pounds at birth.
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Poppy’s name was picked via a worldwide voting campaign. 116,000 votes were cast from all 50 states and 165 countries.
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Poppy is already on view, having made her zoo debut on January 3, 2025.
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When the weather is warmer and Poppy grows a little more, both her and her mom will be moved to the outdoor habitat.
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Metro Richmond Zoo: Website | Instagram
Sources: Pygmy Hippo Name Announcement, Pygmy Hippo Born Before Christmas
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