Baby Haggis, a pygmy hippo, was born to parents Otto and Gloria at Edinburgh Zoo on Oct. 30.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo/RZSS
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The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo/RZSS
Move over Moo Deng, there’s a new pygmy in town.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo announced Monday that their own tiny pygmy hippo, named Haggis, was born Oct. 30 to parents Otto and Gloria.
The newborn calf is doing really well, according to Jonny Appleyard, hoofstock team leader at Edinburgh Zoo.
“It is amazing to see her personality beginning to shine already,” Appleyard continued in a statement issued by the zoo.
Visitors already enamored by photos and video of the shiny, chubby creature will have to wait awhile before making a trek to see her in person.
The first 30 days are critical for development, Edinburgh Zoo said, so Baby Haggis won’t be out in public while zoo staff keep a close eye on mom and baby in this early stretch.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo/RZSS
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The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo/RZSS
“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,” Appleyard said.
Pygmy hippos, native to forests and swamps in West Africa, are endangered animals, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. There are just an estimated 2,000 that remain in the world, mainly in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Ivory Coast, due to habitat loss and being hunted for bushmeat, according to the Pygmy Hippo Foundation.
Haggis’ birth comes as the world remains obsessed over the birth of Thailand’s Moo Deng, who is such a viral sensation visitors can only see her for five minutes during limited days of the week.
“While Thailand’s Moo Deng has become a viral global icon, it is important to remember that pygmy hippos are incredibly rare,” Appleyard said. “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.”
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