It seems as if the adorable Moo Deng, an A-lister at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, has found herself some competition over the pond at the Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia, USA. It has been a few weeks now since the newborn pygmy hippo, Poppy, made her introduction to the world, and just like Moo Deng, people simply can’t get enough of her!
Born on December 9, last year, she is the youngest of her two sisters. After a public poll with over 110,000 votes worldwide concluded, Poppy was the name that the public decided on, coincidentally maintaining the floral naming scheme of her two sisters: Violet and Petunia.
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Although separated by the seas, Poppy and Moo Deng are more similar than you may think. Just like Thailand’s own, Poppy is super energetic and lively, with the lead zookeeper at Metro Richmond Zoo describing her as “a curious and brave little pygmy hippo… She sometimes has her little zoomies, and she’ll hop around.”
But here’s a twist, Poppy is actually Moo Deng’s cousin! Their fathers are cousins.
Poppy soon found herself in the limelight, giving Moo Deng serious competition as the Metro Richmond Zoo has launched a limited-time PoppyPygmyHippoExperience, allowing many fans to get up close with Poppy and her parents, along with a guided behind-the-scenes tour.
Not to be outdone, her cousin Moo Deng captured many headlines throughout 2024, with many unofficially naming her as Thailand’s Person of the Year. In November last year, Chon Buri Governor Thawatchai Srithong revealed that Moo Deng had generated the province over 27 billion baht in tourism-related revenue from July to October alone.
With pygmy hippos being classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2015, experts estimate that only 3,000 pygmy hippos are left roaming in the wild. The fame of both Poppy and Moo Deng has turned many eyes to the dwindling numbers of these little hippos, offering a glimmer of hope for their conservation efforts.
Ryan is a journalism student from Mahidol University with a passion for history, writing and delivering news content with a rich storytelling narrative.
