Move Over Moo Deng, There’s a New Star in Town and Her Name Is Haggis

Just months after Moo Deng captured the hearts of people around the world, a new pygmy hippo has entered the chat — baby Haggis was born at the Edinburgh Zoo in October.

While Haggis does seem primed to become an internet sensation like Moo Deng, some are cautioning fans of the rare hippo against getting too excited about the zoo's breeding programs.

That's likely because zoos notoriously lack the space and materials to adequately recreate the natural habitat where these animals should be roaming free, and some zoos stand accused of mistreatment.

Even still, some can't help but squeal over this impossibly cute little girl, especially considering how rare pygmy hippos are these days. Continue reading to learn more about Haggis and pygmy hippos like her.

Haggis made her grand entrance at the zoo the day before Halloween. According to the Edinburgh Evening News, the beautiful baby girl was born to parents Gloria and Otto. Even the zoo's caretakers were excited by how well Haggis' birth went, telling the paper how she was meeting the milestones they'd expect to see with a pygmy her age.

"Haggis is doing really well so far and it is amazing to see her personality beginning to shine already," Jonny Appleyard, Edinburgh Zoo's Hoofstock team leader explained. "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."

The zoo made a cheeky announcement when Haggis was born, taking aim at the popularity of her fellow pygmy calf, Moo Deng. Later, the zoo issued a hilarious update, apologizing for pitting the pair against one another and suggesting that they instead come together to celebrate the "pygmy hippo divas."

Part of the reason the zoo is issuing a mea culpa may have to do with the fact that pygmy hippos have enough going against them, they don't need to fight one another for popularity as well.

According to the Pygmy Hippo Foundation, these hippos are experiencing a significant decline in the wild thanks to the deforestation of the Upper Guinean Forest. Not only that, but they are also frequently hunted for their meat, despite legislation banning the practice.

Sadly, that means there aren't too many pygmy hippos left in the wild, and the ones that are out there appear to mostly be located in Liberia.

The foundation notes that there's a possibility that smaller clusters of the hippos may exist elsewhere, like Sierra Leone, but that those populations are likely quite small as well. As such, the Zoological Society of London has classified the animals as an endangered species, as has the IUCN Red List.

There are believed to be around 2,000 pygmy hippos in the world.

While that is very sad, hopefully, the rise in popularity of hippos like Haggis and Moo Deng will help highlight the plight of these hippos, including some of the things that keep their natural populations from rebounding in the wild. Maybe then we'll be able to start making meaningful changes to their habitats so that they can continue to thrive outside of zoos where they belong.