A public vote has opened to call the Metro Richmond Zoo’s new child feminine pygmy hippopotamus calf.
The calf was born Dec. 9, a Christmas Eve information launch from the Virginia-based zoo introduced.
“Hippo hooray! The zoo is excited to announce a heartwarming addition to our animal family just in time for the holidays: a baby pygmy hippo. The newborn arrived on December 9, 2024, after a 7-month gestation. Congratulations to pygmy hippo parents Iris and Corwin on the birth of another little girl,” the zoo in Mosley stated within the launch.
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The unnamed calf is the hippo couple’s third within the final 4½ years, the zoo stated, and is the second born at Christmastime.
The discharge included a video of the zoo’s latest resident romping about her enclosure along with her mom. The video was set to the Christmas carol “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.”
The pygmy hippopotamus was born Dec. 9, the Metro Richmond Zoo in Mosley, Va., stated. (Metro Richmond Zoo)
“Most people don’t get a hippopotamus for Christmas at all, so we feel lucky to have received two over the years,” the Metro Richmond Zoo stated.
Iris delivered this calf in water, her first water delivery, in response to the zoo. Pygmy hippopotamuses, in contrast to their bigger, extra widespread counterparts, give delivery on each land and in water.
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“The baby’s natural instincts kicked in, and she started moving around in the water immediately,” the zoo famous.
The new child weighed in at “a healthy 15 pounds” and can weigh as much as 600 kilos when she is absolutely grown, the discharge famous.
On Friday, Dec. 27, the Metro Richmond Zoo launched a ballot to call the brand new calf.
The new child feminine calf weighed in at 15 kilos when she was 5 days outdated, the zoo stated. (Metro Richmond Zoo)
Decisions embrace Poppy, Juniper, Hammie Mae, and Omi.
Poppy was chosen as a tribute to her mom’s floral identify, Juniper is a nod to her winter birthday, Hammie Mae is “a sweet and southern tie to Virginia ham” and Omi is the Yoruba phrase for “water,” in response to the Metro Richmond Zoo.
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The ballot acquired an “incredible response” within the first 24 hours it was open, the zoo stated in an replace posted to its web site and Fb web page.
“We’re thrilled to see so many people joining in on the fun of naming our adorable pygmy hippo baby.”
“We’re thrilled to see so many people joining in on the fun of naming our adorable pygmy hippo baby,” the zoo stated.
The zoo acquired greater than 14,000 votes “from hippo fans all over the world” throughout the first day of voting.
The new child pygmy hippopotamus, proper, was the third cub born to mother Iris, left. (Metro Richmond Zoo)
The Metro Richmond Zoo clarified that if no identify received an outright majority of the votes, there can be a second vote with the highest two contenders.
The zoo additionally posted a graph of the outcomes to date however declined to say which identify was within the lead.
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The ballot closes Dec. 31 at 2 p.m., and the successful identify will probably be introduced New 12 months’s Day.
Fox Information Digital reached out to the Metro Richmond Zoo for extra remark.
The pygmy hippopotamus’ identify will probably be introduced on New 12 months’s Day, in response to the Metro Richmond Zoo. (Metro Richmond Zoo)
The Metro Richmond Zoo’s new child pygmy hippo was born months after Moo Deng, one other pygmy hippopotamus, went viral for her cute antics in Thailand.
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Since Moo Deng first acquired worldwide consideration over the summer time, she has been parodied on “Saturday Night Live,” accurately predicted the 2024 U.S. presidential election, impressed a make-up development and prompted a two-hour-long site visitors jam on the highway to her zoo.
