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Endangered pygmy hippopotamus born at a Virginia zoo and you can help name her

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Endangered pygmy hippopotamus born at a Virginia zoo and you can help name her


Move over, Moo Deng.

A Virginia zoo got a hippopotamus for Christmas because only a hippopotamus would do.

A female pygmy hippopotamus calf was born at the Metro Richmond Zoo in early December, marking the third calf of the endangered species to be born at the zoo in the last five years, officials said.

The mother hippo Iris gave birth to the yet-to-be-named calf on Dec. 9 and the zoo is currently holding a contest to name the new calf.

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A whopping 14,000 people flocked to vote on a potential moniker, and the options have been narrowed down to Poppy, Juniper, Hammie Mae, and Omi.

An unnamed baby pygmy hippopotamus was born at the Metro Richmond Zoo on Dec. 9. AP

The baby girl is the river horse’s third calf shared with her current mate, Corwin.

Iris keeps to a schedule. The new hippo is the second she has given birth to in December, according to the zoo. All three of her offspring have been female as well.

“Most people don’t get a hippopotamus for Christmas at all, so we feel lucky to have received two over the years,” zoo officials said in a news release Tuesday — in a nod to the famous holiday tune.

The pint-sized pygmy weighed in at 15 pounds. AP

The new baby had a neonatal exam and weighed in at 15 pounds, a mere fraction of the 600 pounds officials say fully grown pygmy hippos can boast.

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Hippos are usually a naturally polygamous species, but it’s been slim pickings for the pygmies over the last few decades.

When the hippo was declared endangered in 2015, there were only about 2,500 mature ones left, and even then officials were pulling that from a 1993 population estimate, according to the Zoological Society of London.

Iris the hippopotamus has given birth to three female calves over the last five years. AP

“This birth – like all of Iris’ births – plays an important role in helping protect this rare and elusive species. Unlike common hippos, pygmy hippos do not live in groups and are usually solitary or in pairs. For this reason, once Iris’ two previous calves grew up, they were moved to other zoological facilities to live with future mates and continue contributing to the conservation of their species,” the zoo wrote in the news release.

Earlier this year, another baby pygmy hippo took the internet by storm. Moo Deng, a newborn at a zoo in Thailand with a penchant for trying to bite people, captured the hearts of people far and wide and became one of the most prolific memes of the year.

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Bill signing aims to bolster horse racing industry in West Virginia

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Bill signing aims to bolster horse racing industry in West Virginia


Gov. Patrick Morrisey signaled support for the horse racing industry in West Virginia through a bill signing Monday.

Senate Bill 1060 updates laws to include certified thoroughbred horses and raises a funding cap for restricted races from $1 million to $2 million.

The measure allows horses that have lived in West Virginia for six months to compete for larger purses. State leaders are hopeful the move will incentivize out-of-state horse owners to relocate to West Virginia.

In addition, the bill would allow licensed racing associations to transmit broadcasts of races with a portion of wagers going toward the West Virginia Thoroughbred Development Fund.

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Changes will go into effect on June 7.

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Currently, horse races are held in West Virginia’s panhandles, at the Mountaineer Racetrack and Resort in New Cumberland and the Hollywood Casino in Charles Town.



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Virginia Beach police investigate teen brawl at Nova Adventure Park

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Virginia Beach police investigate teen brawl at Nova Adventure Park


VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Beach police are investigating after a large crowd of teens were fighting Saturday evening at Nova Adventure Park.

A Virginia Beach police officer was in the 2000 block of Lynnhaven Parkway at approximately 9:35 p.m. when a large group of teens started fighting. Additional officers arrived and the teenagers disbursed.

Police said at least one victim involved suffered an injury that was not life-threatening.

The incident is under active investigation.

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Gas prices dip slightly in Virginia, but relief may not last

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Gas prices dip slightly in Virginia, but relief may not last


Gas prices in Virginia are easing slightly, but any relief at the pump may be short-lived.

AAA reports the state average is now $4.01 per gallon, down about four cents from last week. Despite the dip, prices remain significantly higher when compared to recent months, up roughly 65 cents from a month ago and nearly a dollar more than this time last year.

The national average is also elevated, sitting at $4.12 per gallon.

Experts say the primary driver behind the sustained increase is the rising cost of crude oil, fueled in part by ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

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Even if those pressures begin to ease, analysts warn that drivers should not expect immediate relief.

“The old adage is about gas prices going up they go up like a rocket and then come down like a feather. So they tend to go up very fast in geopolitical crisis like this, but they come down much much slower. So we’re watching and waiting to see what happens there in the Middle East,” said Morgan Dean, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA.

For now, the outlook remains uncertain as global events continue to influence what drivers are paying at the pump.



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