Virginia zoo gets its own Moo Deng and launches poll to name baby pygmy hippo
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The 15-pound newborn was delivered on December 9. Though standard-size hippopotamuses usually give birth underwater, pygmy hippos can give birth in water or on land. A grown pygmy hippopotamus can weigh between 400 to 600 pounds, while larger, fully-grown hippos can weigh up to 9,920 pounds and 3,000 pounds, depending if they’re male or female.
Each name holds a significant meaning with Juniper acting as an ode to the time of year she was born; Poppy following suit with her mother’s moniker of a type of flower; Omi because it means “water” in Yoruba (a Niger-Congo language), and Hammie Mae being “a sweet and southern tie to Virginia ham.”.
The name that gets the most votes will be given to the newborn. However, a subsequent vote will be conducted if the results show a tie between multiple names. According to an update posted on the zoo’s Facebook page, the poll received a total of 14,000 participants from around the world in the first 24 hours.
The final decision will be announced on New Year’s Day after the poll closes at 2 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. “We’re thrilled to see so many people joining in on the fun of naming our adorable pygmy hippo baby,” the Zoo wrote on its social media page.
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