If you happened to be a pygmy hippo born in 2024, then you’re an internet superstar. The world first went bonkers for Moo Deng, a tiny hippo born in a Thailand zoo. Next came Haggis, a wee hippo born in Scotland. The latest is a newbie at the Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia. The zoo announced the results of a naming poll this week. Please give a warm welcome to Poppy, the baby pygmy hippopotamus.
Pygmy hippo gets a name
It took two rounds of voting to arrive at the baby’s final name. The four contenders were Poppy (for the flower), Juniper (for the evergreen), Hammie Mae (for Virginia ham) and Omi (“water” in the West African language Yoruba). Poppy and Hammie Mae were the top vote-getters in the first round. Poppy reigned supreme in the runoff vote. “Poppy is the perfect name for this playful, perky, and ever-increasing popular hippo,” the zoo said in a statement. “Her name is a flower just like her mother Iris.”
Over 116,000 votes came in from 165 countries. Poppy squeaked past the food-themed Hammie Mae with 52.8% of the vote. Momma hippo Iris even got a vote. The zoo set up two piles of food with the names Poppy and Hammie Mae above them. Iris lumbered over and started eating from the pile under Poppy. The Metro Richmond Zoo shared a video to social media on Jan. 7 showing Iris “voting.”
Pygmy hippo celebrities
Poppy is the latest in a lineup of baby pygmy hippos that have attracted a lot of attention. Thailand’s Moo Deng became popular in 2024 after becoming the subject of memes, TikTok makeup tutorials and even a “Saturday Night Live” controversy. Moo Deng’s ascendance turned a spotlight on pygmy hippos in general. Adult pygmy hippos can reach 600 pounds. That’s still much smaller than a standard hippo.
Poppy was born on Dec. 9. She represents hope for a species under duress in the wild from hunting and loss of habitat. Pygmy hippos (Choeropsis liberiensis) are native to West Africa. Pygmy hippos are classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. Fewer than 2,500 mature individuals still live in the wild.
The Metro Richmond Zoo shared a video of Poppy taking a splash in a shallow pool with her mom.
Poppy flips her ears, wiggles around and inspects the camera. It’s easy to see why the babies of this species get so much attention from humans. They come across as curious, sassy and cute. Their small size makes them much less intimidating than regular hippos, which have a reputation as dangerous, fast-moving animals.
Poppy is a celebrity that isn’t aware of her celebrity status. She’s busy doing baby-hippo things. Chowing down is a top priority. “She will continue learning how to be a pygmy hippo from mom,” the zoo said. “She has already started nibbling on some solid foods, and will only eat more and more each day.” Visitors to the zoo can see water-loving Poppy and Iris in their indoor pool area. Eventually, the baby will get to explore her larger outdoor enclosure, no doubt to the delight of her adoring fans.