Baby pygmy hippo named 'Bread Roll' charms internet as Zoo Berlin calf gains viral attention

A baby pygmy hippo at Zoo Berlin is quickly becoming the internet's latest tiny animal obsession.

At a little over a month old, the calf weighs about 44 pounds and is already winning fans at Zoo Berlin. The zoo says Brötchen, whose name means "Bread Roll" in German, has a bold, adventurous streak.

What happened?

The zoo's newest pygmy hippo arrived on May 9 and has put on weight fast, climbing from nearly 13 pounds at birth to about 44 pounds, according to Discover Magazine.

According to zoo officials, she is adjusting well and showing a "bold and adventurous personality."

The renewed attention around Brötchen comes after Moo Deng helped turn pygmy hippos into viral stars in 2024. Zoo Berlin's earlier press release said Brötchen's older sister Toni had a similar moment after her own 2024 birth, drawing more than 6 million views on TikTok.

Discover Magazine reported that Brötchen is now also being introduced to the water by her keepers. Pygmy hippos do not really swim in the usual sense — they typically push along the bottom and glide underwater — making those first lessons an important part of her development.

Why does it matter?

Her birth is also drawing notice against the backdrop of an endangered species.

Fewer than 2,500 adult pygmy hippos are believed to remain in the wild, Zoo Berlin said, as cited by Discover Magazine, and human-caused habitat loss remains the biggest threat to the species across parts of West Africa.

Pygmy hippos are much smaller than common hippos, topping out at under about 661 pounds, and they live mainly in forests, swamps and rivers.

Brötchen appears to be thriving. Her mother, Debbie, is an experienced parent, and keepers said the calf has been drinking reliably and gaining weight quickly.

She ventured outside after just one month. Toni reportedly waited about 2.5 months before leaving the indoor enclosure.

What are people saying?

Zoo and Tierpark director Andreas Knieriem leaned into Brötchen's playful name in a statement: "Naming animals after food items currently seems to be a popular internet trend."

He added, "Strictly speaking, however, Berliners already knew decades ago that small round snacks make excellent animal names: the hippo Bulette was one of the great favourites at Zoo Berlin until 2005."

The name also fits the recent run of food-themed animal celebrities: Moo Deng translates to "bouncy pork."

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