Mars (pygmy hippo)
 Mars at Tanganyika Wildlife Park | |
| Species | Choeropsis liberiensis |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Born | June 26, 2025 Goddard, Kansas, U.S. |
| Known for | Viral video featuring a maternal “mom stare”; public naming vote; people visiting from all over the United States |
| Residence | Tanganyika Wildlife Park (Goddard, Kansas) |
| Parents | Pluto (sire) and Posie (dam) |
Mars (born June 26, 2025) is a male pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis). He was the fifth pygmy hippo calf born at Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard, Kansas, United States.
Early life
[edit]Tanganyika Wildlife Park announced that a male pygmy hippopotamus calf was born there on June 26, 2025.[1][2] He was the fifth calf born to adults Posie (dam) and Pluto (sire).[3]
Media coverage and popularity
[edit]A clip shared in August 2025 showed Mars being coaxed and pushed out of the pool by a keeper and also Mars lingering in a pool until his mother intervened with a look, which ABC described as a “universal ‘mom stare’.” The segment ran on World News Tonight with David Muir.[4][5] National Geographic profiled Mars’ rise alongside broader context about pygmy hippo popularity on social media following the Thai calf Moo Deng.[6]
See also
[edit]External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Schmidt, LynnLee (July 9, 2025). "Tiny Hippo, Big News: Critically Endangered Pygmy Hippo Born at Kansas Wildlife Park". Tanganyika Wildlife Park. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ America, Good Morning. "New baby pygmy hippo makes debut in Kansas". Good Morning America. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ Valdez, Ana; Duarte, Jack (August 1, 2025). "New baby pygmy hippo born at Tanganyika Wildlife Park". KWCH. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ News Staff, ABC (August 14, 2025). "Pygmy hippo baby at Kansas zoo refuses to leave pool until universal 'mom stare'". World News Tonight with David Muir. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ News, A. B. C. "David Muir shares the heartwarming story of Mars, the baby hippo who went viral". ABC News. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "Is this the new Moo Deng? Meet Mars the pygmy hippo". National Geographic. November 12, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.