Moo Deng? Who Deng? Edinburgh Zoo announces birth of pygmy hippo keepers hope will match popularity of Thailands viral sensation
Edinburgh Zoo reckons it can present a rival to Thailands internet sensation Moo Deng as it has announced the birth of its own pygmy hippo.
Edinburgh Zoo reckons it can present a rival to Thailands internet sensation Moo Deng as it has announced the birth of its own pygmy hippo.
The zoo has settled on the name Haggis for the Scotland-born animal whose arrival was declared on Monday.
She follows in the footsteps of Khao Kheow Open Zoos Moo Deng - but it is yet to be seen whether Haggis will amass as many fans as the Thailand inhabitant who went viral on social media over her personality and charm.
Edinburgh Zoo posted to X on November 4: Moo Deng? Who deng? Introducing... Haggis.
Otto and Gloria have welcomed an adorable pygmy hippo calf! She is doing well, but well be keeping the hippo house closed for the time being so that our expert keepers can keep a close eye on mum and baby at this sensitive time.
Photo of Haggis the pygmy hippo, whose birth was happily announced by Edinburgh Zoo on Monday
The incredibly rare animal was born at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotlands (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo on Wednesday October 30
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.
While Thailands 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.
The female calf was born on October 30.
Native to forests and swamps in West Africa, it is estimated that only 2,500 are left in the wild due to habitat loss.
Moo Deng (pictured) was born on July 10 this year and went viral on social media over her personality and charm
Shockingly, some fans of Moo Deng earlier claimed last month she was actually mean and would become dangerous as she grows older.
To celebrate Haggiss arrival Edinburgh Zoo is offering people the chance to meet her, with funds raised to go towards animal care.
Edinburgh Zoos X account playfully apologised for pitting Haggis and Moo Deng against one another later on Monday, posting: Sorry guys this is our official notes app apology.
We were wrong to pit Haggis and Moo Deng against each other.
There is space in this world for two beautiful pygmy hippo divas and we should celebrate them all.
Sorry to Moo Deng. Lets work it out on the remix.
Moo Deng, which literally means bouncy pork in Thai, is a type of meatball.
The sensation was born on July 10 this year to parents Jonah and Tony.
Shockingly, some fans of Moo Deng earlier claimed last month she was actually mean and would become dangerous as she grows older.
A viral clip uploaded by staff at the Chonburi province zoo and reposted by @ask_aubry on X shows the baby hippo waking up moisturised and choosing violence.
In the footage, Moo Deng can be seen being rinsed down with a hose by a male zookeeper in her enclosure, with her mother stood only a metre away.
Baby Haggis. Native to forests and swamps in West Africa, it is estimated that only 2,500 are left in the wild due to habitat loss
Time will tell whether Haggis will match the fame of Moo Deng but it seems the Edinburgh Zoo adore her in any case
Moo Deng appears to react strongly to being sprayed with the water - and retaliates by charging at her handler and nipping at his leg.
The member of staff laughs while shooting content on his phone, before he attempts to pull the slippery calf away - at first, with little success.
Moo Deng is relentless as she doubles back for another mouthful, this time aiming for the handlers back as he turns his body away from the calfs sharp developing teeth.
In the end, the handler forces the baby hippo to retreat into nearby trees after lightly tapping her bottom with his hand.
Khao Kheow Open Zoo is located around 100km southeast of Bangkok and Moo Deng has doubled the number of visitors at the site.
The hippos miniature frame and podgy proportions helped inspire a fervent following.
Even the Royal Thai Embassy featured the baby hippo on its social media channels.
Fans have made artwork and cakes in her image with one cosmetics chain also telling its customers to wear your blush like a baby hippo.
Moo Dengs fame started when zookeepers at Khao Kheow Open Zoo started posting videos of her on their TikTok account which now has 2.5million followers.
She now has dozens of Instagram and Facebook pages documenting her daily life on social media.
It emerged in September that some visitors at the zoo were filming themselves throwing objects at Moo Deng, with one even pouring water on her to wake her up.
This led to stern words being issued by the zoos director Narongwit Chodchoi who warned those involved could face legal consequences, adding that the treatment is not only cruel but dangerous.
And later that month - perhaps even more surprisingly - makeup moguls across the internet began swiping their cheeks with vibrant pink and charcoal grey as they attempted to recapture the swampy look of the popular hippo.
Time will tell whether Haggis has any such future in store.
