Current:Home > ContactWho Is Baby Hippo Haggis? Get to Know the Calf Captivating Edinburgh Zoo Attendees -Thrive Money Mindset
Who Is Baby Hippo Haggis? Get to Know the Calf Captivating Edinburgh Zoo Attendees
View
Date:2025-04-19 02:04:50
Move over, Moo Deng.
After all, there’s room to be made for Haggis, the latest addition to Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo and another pygmy hippo who is ready for her close up.
Haggis was born to parents Otto and Gloria on Oct. 30, with the tiny calf’s arrival announced via an official statement on the zoo’s website on Nov. 4, that playfully began with the banner “Moo Deng Who?”
“Haggis is doing really well so far and it is amazing to see her personality beginning to shine already,” Jonny Appleyard, hoofstock team leader at Edinburgh Zoo said in the statement. “The first 30 days are critical for her development, so the pygmy hippo house will be closed for now to allow us to keep a close eye on mum and baby at this sensitive time.”
Johnny noted that the birth of Haggis and the viral love around Moo Deng has raised awareness for the animals—who have officially been declared endangered.
“While Thailand’s Moo Deng has become a viral global icon, it is important to remember that pygmy hippos are incredibly rare,” he continued. “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.”
And Haggis’ social media team has already gotten to work. After the internet caught wind of the shade, the zoo released an “apology” to Moo Deng and Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo for pitting the little ladies against each other.
“We were wrong to pit Haggis and Moo Deng against each other,” the notes app apology read on X (formally known as Twitter) Nov. 4. “There is space in this world for two beautiful pygmy hippo divas and we should celebrate them all. Sorry to Moo Deng. Let’s work this out on the remix.”
Naturally, there’s room for both gals, as their fame has brought awareness to the species of hippos, native to Liberia and other forest and swamps in West Africa. It is estimated that only 2,500 remain in the wild, due to habitat loss, per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN).
The internet’s original pygmy hippo made her grand debut into the world in July. Since, Moo Deng has captivated the hearts (and even made an appearance on Saturday Night Live) of the world wide web and doubled visitors at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo since her birth in July, per World Animal Protection.
Moo Deng—which roughly translates to Bouncing Pig—has garnered memes, and merchandise. However, her arrival has not been without controversy, as the zoo issued a statement telling visitors to visit her while she’s awake, instead of throwing things and splashing her in an effort to get her to wake up.
"These behaviours are not only cruel, but also dangerous," zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi said in a statement via the BBC. “We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment."
But online, there continues to be an outpour of love for the creature.
As on X user noted during the hippo’s initial rise to fame she is, “the most beautiful girl in the world.”
Watch E! News weeknights Monday through Thursday at 11 p.m., only on E!.veryGood! (8)
Related
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Taylor Swift breaks Spotify records for most-streamed album, most-streamed artist in a single day
- Kyle Dake gains Olympic berth after father's recent death: 'I just really miss him'
- Kansas has a new anti-DEI law, but the governor has vetoed bills on abortion and even police dogs
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- Who will win the Stanley Cup? Predictions for NHL playoffs bracket
- A Wisconsin caretaker claims her friend was drinking an unusual cocktail before her death. Was she poisoned?
- Trump set to gain national delegates as the only choice for Wyoming Republicans
- What were Tom Selleck's juicy final 'Blue Bloods' words in Reagan family
- Share of US Catholics backing legal abortion rises as adherents remain at odds with church
Ranking
- Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
- 3 hospitalized after knife attack on boat in New York City, along East River in Brooklyn
- South Dakota man sentenced to nearly 90 years in prison for his baby son’s 2021 death
- Watch this sweet moment between Pluto and his biggest fan: a golden retriever service dog
- Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge
- 3 hospitalized after knife attack on boat in New York City, along East River in Brooklyn
- LSU gymnastics gets over the hump, wins first national championship in program history
- Kyle Dake gains Olympic berth after father's recent death: 'I just really miss him'
Recommendation
Bodycam footage shows high
California man goes missing after hiking in El Salvador, family pleads for help finding him
Trader Joe’s basil recall: Maps show states affected by salmonella, recalled product
'Pulp Fiction' 30th anniversary reunion: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, more
'We're reborn!' Gazans express joy at returning home to north
Taylor Swift breaks Spotify records for most-streamed album, most-streamed artist in a single day
Everything to Know About Angel Numbers and How to Decode the Universe's Numerical Signs
Dwayne Johnson talks Chris Janson video collab, says he once wanted to be a country star