Moo Deng, Thailand’s baby pygmy hippo, took social media by storm when she was born last summer. With her outsized wails for attention—her screams bigger than her body—and her sweet, W-shaped snout, she became an overnight sensation from her hippo habitat at Khao Kheow Open Zoo near Bangkok.
Fast-forward to last December, and the hippo-shaped spotlight landed on Virginia with the arrival of Metro Richmond Zoo’s newest bundle of joy: a female pygmy hippopotamus born to resident pygmy hippo parents Iris and Corwin. The baby girl, weighing just 15 pounds, was all squishy limbs and shy, big black eyes. Animal lovers around the world ooh’ed and aww’ed and jumped at the chance to vote on the newborn’s name when the zoo launched a poll. Over 100,000 votes poured in from more than 160 countries, ultimately naming the calf Poppy, matching her mother’s floral-inspired name. “Poppy spends all her time with mom, and they share a strong bond,” says Taylor Andelin, zoo communications manager. “Poppy is very curious, playful, and brave. Often, she’ll lead the way when walking with mom.”
You can visit Poppy at the pygmy hippopotamus exhibit at the zoo in Moseley, just outside Richmond, and even get up close and feed her at the zoo’s new “Poppy Pygmy Hippo Experience.” Her birth is momentous for conservation efforts. Endangered pygmy hippos, native to West Africa, are now receiving support worldwide, one irresistibly endearing baby at a time. MetroRichmondZoo.com
This article originally appeared in the April 2025 issue.
