Name wanted - Fans submit 20,000 name suggestions for mini-hippo
Fans in the USA, Australia, and Mexico: The young hippo girl in the Berlin Zoo has developed into a real online star with several million views on Tiktok. In search of a name for the dwarf hippopotamus, according to Zoo spokesperson Philine Hachmeister, over 20,000 suggestions have been submitted so far. Among them were names like Hilde, Rosa, Else, and Daisy, but also more creative ideas like Goldie, Snuppe, Görli, or Boulettchen.
"We'll take suggestions until midnight," Hachmeister said. The ideas can be written in the comment section on the social media channels of the zoo. According to Hachmeister, the hippo fanbase seems to be the largest in North and South America. The number of followers from the corresponding countries has increased unusually in the past few days.
Jury to Decide on Name
When will a name be chosen? The zoo plans to review all suggestions in the coming days and make a preliminary selection of the top 5, as Hachmeister stated. The final decision will then be made by a jury. "Our zoo director will certainly be part of the jury," he had previously revealed, adding that he particularly liked short, catchy names with a Berlin connection.
The dwarf hippopotamus was born on June 3. Its twin died shortly after birth. The remaining hippo girl and her mother are currently spending their time in a secluded area of the hippopotamus house. Visitors are expected to be able to observe the two in the outdoor enclosure around the end of July. The natural habitat of dwarf hippos is the rainforests of West Africa. There are currently only fewer than 2500 mature individuals left – a trend that is declining.
- Due to the pygmy hippopotamus's popularity on Tiktok, fans from around the world, including Germany, the USA, Australia, and Mexico, are eagerly suggesting names.
- The Berlin Zoo has received over 20,000 name suggestion for the young hippo, with names like Hilde, Rosa, Else, and Daisy, as well as creative proposals such as Goldie, Snuppe, Görli, and Boulettchen.
- Despite the wide variety of name suggestions, the zoo spokesperson Philine Hachmeister emphasizes that they will still accept submissions until midnight, encouraging fans to share their ideas in the comment section on the Berlin Zoo's social media channels.
- The hippo fanbase seems to be the strongest in North and South America, as the number of followers from these regions has surged unusually in recent days.
- In the coming days, the Berlin Zoo will review all the name suggestions and select the top 5, leaving the final decision to a jury, which will likely include the zoo director, who prefers short, catchy names with a Berlin connection.
