“Moo Deng Who?”, posted Edinburgh Zoo on November 4, as the team welcomed an endangered baby pygmy hippo into the world. The female calf was born on October 30 at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo, and was named Haggis to mark its Scottish birthplace.
So, move over, Moo Deng, we have our own Scottish (very tiny) baby pygmy hippo ready to take over the internet! To help celebrate the (very) adorable occasion, Edinburgh Zoo has announced a prize draw that will grant one lucky winner the chance to “to take part in a unique pygmy hippo experience”. To enter the prize draw, animal lovers can do so here by donating to the charity organisation.
Jonny Appleyard, hoofstock team leader at Edinburgh Zoo, said: “Haggis is doing really well so far and it is amazing to see her personality beginning to shine already. 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.”
Fun (and not-so-fun) facts about pygmy hippos
Pygmy hippos are an endangered species originating from Liberia in West Africa. They live in the forests and swamps. The species has been marked as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN), with just 2,500 remaining in the wild due to loss of habitat.
Jonny expanded: “While Thailand’s Moo Deng has become a viral global icon, it is important to remember that pygmy hippos are incredibly rare. 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.”
Pygmy hippos are also solitary animals who prefer to live alone, who sometimes couple up with a mate for a longer time in an effort to mate. As nocturnal animals, it is fairly hard to spot the species in the wild.
Probably the most fun fact of them all, pygmy hippos are not miniature versions of common hippos. While they are “distant cousins”, pygmy hippos have less webbed feet, as well as a shorter snout and spend more time on land. Their skin also produces “blood sweat“, which is a pink protective layer that shields the species from bacteria and sun.