ABQ BioPark Announces Winner of Baby Hippo Naming Contest
The cutest election of the year has come to a close!
Last week, the ABQ BioPark announced Karen and Moe’s new Nile hippo calf is a girl, and we put out a poll for the community to help us decide her name.
From October 28 through November 4, voters were able to choose one of four name options put forth by the Zoo’s hippo care team and could cast their vote daily through Instagram Stories and a web link.
The options were Magdalena (Maggie), Maisy, Chama, and Pearl, and we are excited to announce that the results are in!
Maisy had the lead early on, then Magdalena pulled ahead later in the week and the two names remained neck-and-neck up until the end. It was a close race, but after tallying up a total of 46,456 votes, we’re thrilled to announce that the winning name for this precious baby is MAISY!
“Maisy, a name of Scottish origin meaning pearl, is a charming name that we feel suits this baby wonderfully,” said Lynn Tupa, BioPark associate director.
“We’re blown away by the number of votes and engagement from the community in helping us select a name for this lovely addition to the hippo family,” said Tupa. “We’re thankful to everyone who took the time to vote.”
Maisy, who is now just over three weeks old, is doing great and is becoming more adventurous as each day passes. She's already begun voluntary participation in her own healthcare by stepping on the scale on her own for the first time this week, weighing in at 127.9 pounds!
“She’s doing really well, and is the most active hippo baby we’ve had,” said BioPark senior keeper Bricker Thietten. “For many of the early milestones we have, like getting out of the pool and coming inside, she’s ahead of schedule.”
Maisy and the rest of the hippo family, including her mom, dad, and four-year-old sister, Matilda, can usually be seen at their habitat in the Africa area of the Zoo. Be sure to stop by and say hi during your next visit, and follow our social media for fun updates on Maisy!