The excitement and global interest in Virginia’s newborn pygmy hippo comes after a female two-month-old pygmy hippo named Moo Deng from Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo launched an internet craze back in September.

No crocodiles, or rhinoceroseses, the Internet only likes hippopotamuseses and its wish came true in early December when Virginia's Metro Richmond Zoo welcomed a newborn pygmy hippo.

Watch out, Moo Deng. A new baby hippo has made a holiday entrance and she is soaking up the social media spotlight. The Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia has announced the addition of a baby pygmy hippopotamus,

Staff at the Metro Richmond Zoo announced the newest addition to their pygmy hippo family Dec. 24, nearly three weeks after the baby girl was born. She’s the third baby born to pygmy hippopotamus pair Iris and Corwin in four and a half years, zookeepers said.

The public is able to see the new endangered pygmy hippo calf at the Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia. The mother and calf returned to the pool Dec. 30.

Zoo's baby pygmy hippo stealing hearts of Richmonders as naming poll continues

The unnamed baby pygmy hippo was born at the Metro Richmond Zoo in December, and people are so obsessed with her that a poll to name her got 52,794 votes. Since there was no clear winner, a second round of votes will determine the final name: Hammie Mae (shoutout Virginia ham) or Poppy.

This has been the year of baby pygmy hippos thanks to social media. Now, we thought the babies were done arriving for the year, but the Metro Richmond Zoo

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.