A brand new pygamy hippo has been born in Edinburgh Zoo(Image: RZSS / SWNS)

Zoo unveils British Moo Deng and shares baby pygmy hippo's adorable name

A Scottish zoo has announced the birth of a brand new adorable pygmy hippo named Haggis - and she's set to rival Thailand's pygmy hippo Moo Deng as a new social media star

by · The Mirror

If you are an avid social media user you can't fail to have come across Moo Deng, the viral and chaotic pygmy hippo from Thailand - but now there is a new UK rival called Haggis.

Haggis, an incredibly rare and endangered pygmy hippo was born at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo on Wednesday October 30, and is a new social media rival for Moo Deng. The adorable and tiny calf was named by the the wildlife conservation charity and has already captured the hearts of the zoo visitors and carers who have instantly fallen in love with her.

Welcomed to the world by her parents Otto and Gloria, pygmy hippos are native to the forests and swamps of West Africa, primarily Liberia. They are classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN) and it is estimated that just 2,500 remain in the wild due to habitat loss. 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.

Moo Deng was born on October 30 in Edinburgh( Image: RZSS / SWNS)
Moo Deng was born on October 30 in Edinburgh( Image: RZSS / SWNS)

"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," and added: "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."

Moo Deng took the world of TikTok by storm, and became a widely shared meme online. The adorable toothless calf has begun starring in her own cosmetic commercials and is on track to become the ambassador for the whole country of Thailand. However, as Moo Deng's star continues to rise, officials at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo have begun to express their worry about the hordes of fans who are coming to see the animal. The animal's caretakers are urging those coming to see the two-month-old animal to show restraint and have started limiting her visiting hours to Saturday and Sunday.

Moo Deng, which translates to "bouncing pig", was named after a vote from 20,000 children and tourists on a Facebook poll that was posted by the zoo in Chonburi, a city in eastern Thailand, right after she was born in July. The hippo began her trek to internet stardom when her caretakers began uploading videos of her going about her day.

Many of the videos uploaded to the internet involve the hippo napping, walking around her enclosure and even one of her chewing her caretaker's knee as they hose her down. In an effort to get more visitors to visit Thailand, the country's embassy in Tokyo posted several pictures of Moo Deng.

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