iStockphoto / MJ_Prototype
February has been a banner month for adorable animals. Punch the Monkey has captured the adoration of millions worldwide with his adorable plushie pal as he integrates into his monkey crew. And now there is a new pygmy hippo named Jellybean that is melting hearts.
Punch the Monkey hit social media like a tidal wave where it seemed as if overnight videos of the adorable monkey had taken over everyone’s feed. Unfortunately for us Americans, Punch lives at the Ichikawa Zoo in Japan which requires some considerable planning to get to. Fortunately though, Jellybean the pygmy hippo is located here in the US of A and nearby a major international airport.
Jellybean the Pygmy Hippo Melts Hearts
Jellybean is the newest resident at the Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium. Located in Litchfield Park, Arizona, it is just a stone’s throw from Phoenix and located on the outskirts of the Phoenix metro area, to the west of Glendale and just a 30 minute ride from the PHX Airport.
Local 12 News in Phoenix got one of the first looks at the adorable pygmy hippo and goodness gracious is this the cutest-looking football you will ever see. Straight up scrumdiddlyumptious.
It took a minute before Jellybean got her name. The Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium ran a contest with fans/followers on social media to come up with the best name for her. Jellybean and Taffy were the leading names for a while until the fans decided that Jellybean was the perfect name… Which obviously means that anyone who voted for Taffy is wrong and needs to reevaluate everything in their lives.
On a rational level, I know that hippos are among the most dangerous animals on the continent of Africa. Up to 9,900 pounds of pure rage packed into a bulbous submarine body. They rank 12th worldwide among the Deadliest Animals on Earth.
But on an irrational level, this is a pygmy hippo we are talking about and she’s just a baby. I want to toss her in a YETI cooler with wheels, fill it water, and walk around town with this magnificent creature to show her the world. Truly a specimen to behold.
As mentioned before, you can go to the Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium to see Jellybean the pygmy hippo yourself. Just follow that link above to learn more.