The Metro Richmond Zoo has had pygmy hippos since 2018, but it was Thailand’s Moo Deng that made the miniature, moist mammals household names. As I walk into the baby’s pen, she follows her mother Iris and slides into a fresh pool of water.
The baby’s father, Corwin, is grunting in another area of the enclosure. The baby quickly latches back on to mom.
“They’ll rest their head on mom so mom can support them while they're still in the water,” says zookeeper Rachael Grimm. She’s speaking to me as the baby’s moon-eyed head bobs in the water like a brown and pink ice cube, kicking her tiny legs and wiggling her little ears, splashing water as she tries to nurse.
Momma Iris is protective; I stand in the corner listening to zoo director Jim Andelin explain their relationship.
“It’s a very precocious little girl and so she’ll sometimes lead the way but there is never more than a couple feet distance from them,” he says.
But the new baby needs a name, and the zoo has opened up a poll to let the public weigh in.
The first round of voting involved over 50,000 votes from 130 countries, the list of four names was whittled down to two. I’ll let 4-year-old Cole Rice share the details and give the reason for his vote.
“Hammie and Poppy… (which one did you pick?) Hammie. (why did you pick Hammie?) I like it (what do you think of Poppy?) I don’t like it. It’s not my favorite name. Only Hammie.”
For the record the possible names Hammie Mae, in honor of Virginia hams, or Poppy, a flower like her mother.
The online poll remains open through Saturday. You can vote online at the Metro Richmond Zoo's website.
But if you go in person, you can vote twice.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
