The newest addition to the Berlin Zoo, a baby pygmy hippo, named Toni after German soccer star Antonio Rüdiger, was introduced to the public on Thursday. Toni, born on June 3, is still small in size but captivated zoo visitors as she explored her area with her mother, Debbie.
The zoo received over 20,000 name suggestions for the baby hippo before deciding on Toni. Initially considering traditional Berlin names like Boulettchen, zoo director Andreas Knieriem opted for a short, catchy name to reflect the hippo’s popularity on social media.
Rüdiger, a Berlin native playing for Real Madrid and Germany, accepted the role of the animal’s honorary patron, or “coach,” solidifying the choice of the name “Toni.” Debbie has successfully raised offspring in the past, in 2004, 2007, and 2008.
Since 1921, the zoo has been breeding pygmy hippos, marking the first occurrence of this in Europe. These hippos are classified as endangered, with fewer than 2,500 adults remaining in countries like Ivory Coast, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The species is already extinct in Nigeria, facing threats from habitat loss due to deforestation for mining and agriculture in West African forests.