Pygmy hippos are adorable creatures, and when the zoo introduced the adorable pygmy hippo on its social media page, posting a video with the caption, ‘Moo Deng? Who deng?
Introducing… Haggis,’ it caught the attention of netizens and the media alike. Pygmy hippo Haggis was born in the Edinburgh Zoo, and the pictures of the cute little celebrity have the internet swooning over her.
Moo Deng; Baby Girl Pygmy Hippo Haggis Captures Hearts Globally!
The birth of the endangered calf to her parents, Otto and Gloria, was announced by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, and she was christened Haggis.
However, Haggis cannot be viewed since the hippo enclosure at the zoo will remain closed for some time to ensure the well-being of the mom and the baby.
The zoo in its post stated,
‘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 mom and baby at this sensitive time,’
Moo Deng? Who deng? Introducing… Haggis 🏴
— Edinburgh Zoo (@EdinburghZoo) November 4, 2024
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
The zoo authorities are already seeing a huge potential in the baby hippo to attract visitors.
According to Jonny Appleyard, hoofstock team leader at Edinburgh Zoo, the baby hippo is doing well and has already created a huge buzz among animal lovers. He also added that the first 30 days are very critical in the pygmy hippo infant’s development and hence the place has been closed to enable round-the-clock vigil of both the mother and the baby hippo at this critical time.
Thai pygmy hippos like Moo Deng are a highly endangered species and have been classified thus by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These creatures, whose numbers have dwindled to only 2,500, are native to West Africa and are incredibly rare.
Appleyard also stated that Thai baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng is incredibly rare and it is a pleasant surprise that her video has gone viral.
Appleyard added,
‘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.’
The zoo authorities have also informed that Moo Deng, which means ‘bouncy pork’ in Thai, has two siblings—Moo Toon (stewed pork) and Moo Waan (sweet pork).
