Oct 10, 2024 - Things to Do

Richmond zoo's Moo Deng lookalike turns 2 soon

Richmond not only has its own Moo Deng — it's also the only place in Virginia people can see the extremely rare pygmy hippos.

Why it matters: You don't have to travel halfway around the world to get your fix of the internet sensation from Thailand.

The big picture: Richmond's version is a COVID baby named Petunia who turns two on Dec. 6.

She hasn't gone quite as viral, but Petunia did end up on CNN, BBC, NPR, The Washington Post and People.
When the Metro Richmond Zoo posted her back in 2022 on Facebook, the video was viewed over two million times.
And when it was up to Virginians to name her, the poll got nearly 19,000 votes. "Dumplin'" came in at a close second.

Fun fact: She's not the only pygmy hippo in town.

Go deeper: Meet her other American counterparts

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