Zoo names rare baby pygmy hippo ‘Bread Roll’ after viral Moo Deng trend

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Okay, so this is awesome! A zoo in Germany just had a baby pygmy hippopotamus, and it’s seriously the cutest thing ever. They named him Bread Roll, which is hilarious, and everyone online is already losing it over how adorable he is. I’ve been watching all the videos, and I’m officially obsessed!

I’m so excited – the baby sea otter, who we’ve nicknamed Baby Bread Roll (or ‘Brotchen’ if you want to be fancy!), was born on May 9th! She just recently started swimming and exploring the outdoor enclosure after spending a few weeks getting comfortable in the water. She’s absolutely adorable!

Berlin Zoo reports that Bread Roll, the polar bear cub, now weighs over 20 kilograms and started exploring outside much earlier than her sister Toni, who didn’t go outside until she was two and a half months old.

The Berlin Zoo explained that the animal’s popular name is part of a recent online trend of naming animals after food.

Meet Bread Roll, the baby hippo

It’s currently a trend online to name animals after food items, but Berlin Zoo has been doing it for decades! According to zoo director Dr. Andreas Knieriem, the hippo named Bulette was a favorite among visitors until her passing in 2005 – proving that tasty names can be great for animals.

Bread Roll is a newly born pygmy hippopotamus, and sadly, this species is still in danger of extinction. Experts at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimate there are fewer than 2,500 adult pygmy hippos left in West Africa. Their homes are being destroyed by deforestation, which continues to put them at risk.

Exciting news from our bakery! It’s small, round, and now has an official name: Brötchen (a type of bread roll)! 🥯🦛

And because every good recipe needs an expert, Enie van de Meiklokjes (@enieimturm) is taking on the honorary sponsorship of our little dwarf hippopotamus lady. 🍰

ℹ️ By the way…

— Zoo Berlin (@zooberlin) June 10, 2026

Berlin Zoo has worked to protect pygmy hippos for over 100 years. Today, they support breeding programs and research to help these animals thrive in the wild.

Baby Bread Roll is the newest and perhaps most adorable member of her pygmy hippo family, but she’s not the only young animal to capture hearts online this year. Earlier in February, a baby monkey named Punch became an internet sensation after being abandoned by his mother and finding comfort in a stuffed animal.

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2026-06-12 18:19