2018 was the year of Tony, at least according to the Zoo's Instagram audience. 4 out of 10 of the year's most engaging posts were of "tiny" Tony, and if we ever missed a #TonyTuesday we heard about it. The other 6 posts were a refreshing variety that consisted of a reptile, a rodent, a vintage throwback, a den cam birth video, a clouded throwback, and a Safari Park shout-out. It was quite a year here at San Diego Zoo Global. Thanks for following us and supporting our mission to lead the fight against extinction. We'll see you in 2019.

 

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Hip hippo-ray! This #TonyTuesday throwback is really just an excuse to use the new hippo emoji 🦛🦛🦛🦛🦛🦛🦛🦛🦛🦛 Show us how you feel about the new hippo emoji, in emojis. 😍👌 #emojichallenge #hippoemoji #hippopotamus #throwback #sandiegozoo

A post shared by San Diego Zoo (@sandiegozoo) on Nov 13, 2018 at 1:34pm PST

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Tuesdays were made for Tony. #TonyTuesday #babyhippo #hiphopanonymous #hungryhungryhippo #sandiego #sandiegozoo

A post shared by San Diego Zoo (@sandiegozoo) on Mar 27, 2018 at 2:02pm PDT

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Join us on Instagram Live this Wed. at 9am PST as we celebrate Fiona's birthday w/ @cincinnatizoo and our very own Tony (pictured here)! #HipHippoHooray #BirthdayGirl #BabyHippoBday #BabyHippo

A post shared by San Diego Zoo (@sandiegozoo) on Jan 23, 2018 at 1:51pm PST

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Move over Monday, it’s #TonyTuesday. Most people don’t realize that hippos are targeted for the ivory in their teeth, but reports from the field indicate that they are rapidly disappearing from their native habitats. We’re incredibly proud of our work to maintain a sustainable population of hippos in accredited zoos in the US, and Mr. T doesn’t seem to mind either. #whereisthehippoemoji #happyhippos #sandiegozoo #bestdayoftheweek

A post shared by San Diego Zoo (@sandiegozoo) on Apr 3, 2018 at 10:39am PDT

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Let's stick to the point here... Icana is the cutest face in your feed today. #quillyoubemine #lookinsharp #stuckonyou #sandiegozoo 📷: Debbie Beals

A post shared by San Diego Zoo (@sandiegozoo) on Nov 21, 2018 at 12:07pm PST

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Cute calf alert! Meet Justin, the 97th southern white rhino born at the @sdzsafaripark (Swipe to see him in action). There are an estimated 18,000 southern white rhinos remaining in the wild, and the species is classified as Near Threatened due to poaching threats and illegal trafficking of rhino horn. Help us welcome this little guy to the crash and follow @sdzsafaripark for updates! #rhinoyouloveit #sdzsafaripark #endextinction

A post shared by San Diego Zoo (@sandiegozoo) on Feb 21, 2018 at 1:32pm PST

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In Malaysia, the clouded leopard ☁️🐆is known as the tree tiger🌳🐅, but in China, it's known as a mint leopard (because its spots look like mint leaves). What would you call them? #NoseBoop #CuterThanCute #UpCloseAndPurrsonal #BigCatsOfInstagram 📷: @zookeeperrick 😛

A post shared by San Diego Zoo (@sandiegozoo) on Mar 21, 2018 at 10:59am PDT

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Then: Bubbles & her calf, Funani. (Swipe) Now: Funani & her 12th calf, Tony. 😍 S/O to our friends @thetoledozoo for the adorable #throwback pic of our mama #hippo! We know where Mr. T gets his cute looks. #tbt #sandiegozoo

A post shared by San Diego Zoo (@sandiegozoo) on Jan 4, 2018 at 11:55am PST

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When keepers discovered a clutch of mystery eggs in Reptile Mesa, they weren't sure which species they belonged to—until a tiny Oreo-cookie-sized Parker's snake-necked turtle emerged. Mystery solved! Despite its small size, the little one had the species’ distinctive long neck. These turtles don’t pull their heads in, they tuck them sideways under the edge of the shell. They get their name from the neck’s resemblance to a snake. Swipe for a turtley awesome smile. #shellebrate #shellyeah #snakeneckedturtle #turtleyawesome #reptilesofinstagram #sandiegozoo

A post shared by San Diego Zoo (@sandiegozoo) on Jun 24, 2018 at 11:56am PDT

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Our beloved floppy-eared #okapi turned 6 months this week, so this #tbt is dedicated to Mosi! Mbaya gave birth in a private maternity barn while animal care and veterinary staff monitored the first-time mom. Okapis are naturally shy and elusive, but our behind-the-scenes cameras provided a fascinating look at Mosi’s beginning.

A post shared by San Diego Zoo (@sandiegozoo) on Jan 25, 2018 at 12:19pm PST

Matt Steele is social media supervisor for San Diego Zoo Global.