The Thai words Moo Den, meaning bouncing pork, have recently taken on a new meaning as the name of a baby pygmy hippopotamus. This hippo has become an internet sensation for his cute looks.
Moo Deng, is a two month old hippo at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, took the internet by storm with her adorable facial features and sassy nature. Her first viral moment, being a video attached to the poll to name her, has now reached over 2.6 million views. Despite this amount of views, it is far from Moo Deng’s most viral internet appearance.
A tiktok of Moo deng’s caretaker, Atthapon Nundee, playing with her has over 33 million views. There is also another video of Moo Deng on X, of her eating vegetables, that has reached 15 million viewers.
Due to her recent fame, Moo Deng has also made her way to the cover of makeup ads, such as that of a Sephora blush advertisement. The advertisement showcases a photo of Moo Deng surrounded by an assortment of blush colors, with a caption stating “Wear Your Blush Like a Baby Hippo”.
This fame has also led to an increase in attendants at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo. Many attendants now go to the zoo hoping to get a glance at Moo Deng. This had caused the zoo to issue limited visiting times for Moo Deng, with each visitor getting a five minute viewing time to see the two-month-old hippo.
Though Moo Deng has brought much good for herself and the zoo, she has also been the topic of some negative conversations. Recent cases of people pouring water on and throwing things at Moo Deng have caused the zoo to threaten legal action.
“These behaviors are not only cruel but also dangerous. We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment,” Zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi said.
Only around 2,500 pygmy hippos remain on earth, two of which are Moo Deng’s very own siblings. Moo Deng has an older brother named Moo Tun, or stewed pork, and a sister named Moo Waan, or sweet pork. Moo Deng also has a mother named Jona, and a father named Tony.
Though Moo Deng has a family, she seems to be the center of attention, with many fan pages across the internet being made in her honor. Lots of fan art of Moo Deng has been created, along with merchandise displaying her face.
“[Moo Deng] really makes me feel like there is no glass ceiling, that we can really achieve anything. If that baby girl hippo can get famous, what’s stopping the rest of us?” NHS music teacher Elizabeth Dandeneau said.
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