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Pygmy Hippo Siblings Become Viral Sensations
10 Oct
Summary
- Six-week-old pygmy hippo named Mars goes viral
- Follows in footsteps of Moo Deng, another viral pygmy hippo
- Pygmy hippos are much smaller than common hippos
As of October 10th, 2025, a new pygmy hippo star has captured the hearts of people worldwide. Mars, a six-week-old pygmy hippo at the Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Kansas, went viral after his mom gave him the classic "mom stare" when he refused to leave the pool at dinnertime.
Mars' viral success follows that of Moo Deng, a squishy, shiny, purple-pink pygmy hippo born last summer at a zoo in Thailand. Together, these two pygmy hippos have made the species an internet sensation, despite their dwindling numbers in the wild, with only around 3,000 remaining.
Pygmy hippos are a distinct species from the more well-known common hippopotamus. While they share similar shapes and colors, pygmy hippos are about 10 times smaller than their larger cousins, weighing up to 600 pounds as adults compared to the common hippo's potential 4.5 tons. Pygmy hippos also have a more solitary lifestyle, living in the forests and swamps of West Africa, unlike the herd-dwelling common hippos found across central and southern Africa.
