CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WWBT) – A baby pygmy born earlier this month at Metro Richmond Zoo needs a name.
Voting is open through 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 on the following names:
- Poppy: a flower, like her mom’s name
- Juniper: an evergreen shrub to remember winter
- Hammie Mae: a sweet and southern tie to Virginia ham
- Omi: means “water” in Yoruba, a language spoken in West Africa
Click/tap here to cast your vote.
The baby arrived at 4:50 p.m. Dec. 9 after a 7-month gestation, the zoo says on its website.
Meet the new arrival:
The zoo says this is the third calf from the pygmy hippo parents Iris and Corwin, and the second right before the holidays.
“Most people don’t get a hippopotamus for Christmas at all, so we feel lucky to have received two over the years,” Metro Richmond Zoo said.
The zoo says the baby is not yet ready to be in a public exhibit.
“This gives mom and baby privacy while they bond,” the zoo said. “Within time, they will move back to the indoor pool area so guests can see the baby.”
The baby weighed 15 pounds. The zoo says grown pygmy hippos can weigh up to 600 pounds.
The zoo says the pygmy hippo is an endangered species, and there are less than 2,500 of them in the wild.
“This birth – like all of Iris’ births – plays an important role in helping protect this rare and elusive species,” the zoo said.
Visit the Metro Richmond Zoo’s website for additional updates.
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