Just when you thought Moo Deng was the only celebrity baby pygmy hippo to take the world by storm in 2024, along comes another.
A new baby pygmy hippo in Scotland is following in the footsteps of three-month-old Moo Deng. Her name? Haggis. Yes, just like the infamous Scottish dish of chopped sheep’s organs.
Haggis, a female calf like Moo Deng, was born on October 30 to parents Gloria and Otto at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo, according to a press release that jokingly began: “Moo Deng who?”
“Haggis is doing very well so far and it is amazing to see her personality already starting to shine,” Jonny Appleyard, ungulate team leader at Edinburgh Zoo, said in a statement in the press release.
“The first thirty days are crucial for her development, so the pygmy hippo house will be closed for the time being so we can keep a close eye on mother and baby during this sensitive time.”
Moo Deng? Who deng? Introducing: Haggis
Otto and Gloria welcomed an ADORABLE pygmy hippo! She is doing well, but we will keep the hippo house closed for the time being so that our expert caregivers can keep a close eye on mom and baby during this sensitive time 🦛💛 pic.twitter.com/ceGtARuzyR
— Edinburgh Zoo (@EdinburghZoo) November 4, 2024
The zoo explained that pygmy hippos, which are native to the forests and swamps of West Africa, are an endangered species, with only about 2,500 left in the wild due to habitat loss.
“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’s great to have our own little ambassador here in Edinburgh to connect with our visitors and raise awareness of the challenges the species faces in the wild.”
The zoo also announced the arrival of Haggis on
Hours later, the zoo posted an apology in the Notes app on
“We were wrong to pit Haggis and Moo Deng against each other. There is room in this world for two beautiful pygmy hippo divas and we should celebrate them all. Sorry to Moo Deng. Let’s work it out in the remix,” wrote the zoo. . The last line is a reference to Lorde and Charli XCX fleshing out their relationship on the remix of Charli XCX’s “Girl, sochanging.”
Moo Deng, the original viral baby hippo of 2024, became an internet sensation after the Khao Kheow Open Zoo started sharing images and videos of her on the zoo’s Facebook, X and YouTube accounts.
Fans happily took up Moo Deng’s promotion by sharing millions more of their own videos of her on TikTok.
Moo Deng has also been a big draw in person at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, with about 10,000 visitors a day visiting her since her arrival in July, NBC News reported in September.
TODAY viewers met Moo Deng up close during a segment that aired on September 26. The segment showed the baby hippo eating, sleeping, eating and playing at the zoo.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
