Poppy, the Internet's New Favorite Pygmy Hippo, Finally Has Her Own Livestream: Here's How to Watch

There's another baby pygmy hippo livestream coming your way — this time for Poppy!

On Monday, Jan. 13, the Metro Richmond Zoo delighted animal lovers by launching "Poppy Cam," a livestream of the Virginia zoo's new viral pygmy hippo and her mother, Iris. According to a news release, the live stream gives fans an overhead view of Poppy's indoor pool and will be available to watch every day from 9 to 5 p.m. EST.

The Metro Richmond Zoo announced on Dec. 24 that Iris had given birth to an adorable new baby. Over the next week, the little newcomer quickly gained viral status after the zoo launched an online poll to select her name. The poll received over 116,000 votes from all 50 states and 168 countries. During a Jan. 6 appearance on the Today show, Metro Richmond Zoo director Jim Andelin revealed the baby pygmy hippo's name would be Poppy, a nod to her mother's flower name.

According to the zoo, pygmy hippos are nocturnal and spend their days resting in water, heading to dry land during the night for food. For Poppy's followers, this means that they can expect to watch the viral hippo swimming and splashing in her indoor pool on the livestream — and even occasionally pooping in the water.

“If the water appears dirty, the hippos recently pooped, and the filters are working hard to clean it,” wrote the zoo. “Whether she’s swimming or nursing underwater, this live camera lets fans everywhere peek into a part of Poppy’s world.”

The livestream display also spotlights educational facts about the endangered hippo species, such as their behavioral tendencies, diet, and the need for conservation.

Related: A New Moo Deng Enters the Chat! Pygmy Hippo Named Haggis Born at Edinburgh Zoo

While Poppy will be on display for fans daily through her livestream, she and her mother can also be spotted in person by visitors to the Metro Richmond Zoo in their indoor pool area. When the weather gets warmer, the duo will move to an outdoor habitat, which includes a large pool and underwater viewing windows.

According to Pygmy Hippo Conservation, the hippo species, native to West Africa, was declared endangered in 1993, when only 2,000–2,500 individuals remained in the wild.

"Pygmy hippos are endangered, so this birth is important!" Metro Richmond Zoo's site reads. "Poppy is America's pygmy hippo princess. She's raising awareness for her species by stealing hearts on the internet across the world."

The exciting livestream update from the Metro Richmond Zoo follows the launch of a 24-hour livestream for Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo in Thailand who took the world and the internet by storm last year with her pudgy cuteness and playfully sassy attitude.

For Moo Deng, however, the livestream was only the tip of the iceberg for her media ventures. Not long after the hippo's TikTok takeover, her home zoo, Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo, revealed it was seeking a patent for "Moo Deng the hippo." In September, Saturday Night Live cast member Bowen Yang did a "Weekend Update" impression of the baby hippo. In November, Moo Deng even released a catchy song under her name, available in four languages.

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