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Fans flocking to meet Moo Deng, the viral pigmy hippo

By Daniel Miller
Published  September 20, 2024 11:05am EDT
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FILE-Moo Deng, a female pygmy hippo who has recently become a viral internet sensation, is seen at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province on September 15, 2024. (Photo by LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP via Getty Images)

The Brief

    • Moo Deng is a pygmy hippo living at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand.
    • The 2-month-old hippo’s name means "bouncy pork" in Thai and her name was picked by fans in a social media poll.
    • Since the birth of Moo Deng, the zoo has received over 4,000 visitors during the week.

A baby hippo is trending online after being introduced to the world shortly after it was born a month ago. 

Moo Deng, which means "bouncy pork" in Thai (a type of meatball), became a fan favorite as video clips of the newborn circulated on social media inspiring memes among users. 

The 2-month-old hippo’s name was chosen by fans in a social media poll, and it matches her other siblings: Moo Toon (stewed pork) and Moo Waan (sweet pork). There is also a common hippo at the zoo named Kha Moo (stewed pork leg), according to the Associated Press. 

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Artists have drawn cartoons, cakes and latte art based on her, and social media platform X even featured her in its official account’s post.

Moo Deng, a two-month-old female pygmy hippo who has recently become a viral internet sensation, rests at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province on September 15, 2024. (Photo by LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP via Getty Images)

And the sports world is even joining in on the Moo Deng excitement with her image gracing memes created by German soccer team FC Bayern, the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, the NFL’s Washington Commanders, and MLB’s New York Mets.  

The NBA’s Utah Jazz even created a post featuring the hippo to promote the team's home-opening game, NPR reported. 

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Zookeeper Atthapon Nundee of Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo has posted special moments of the animals in his care for five years.

But Nundee has no idea that Moo Deng would become a big star on the internet in such a short time. 

"Moo Deng" is seen with her mother Jona at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, Sept. 18, 2024. (Photo by Rachen Sageamsak/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Cars began lining up outside the zoo well before it opened on Thursday as visitors traveled from various locations to get a closer look at the pygmy hippo. 

However, the sudden increase in guests to see Moo Deng has risen to the point that staff members have put a limit on visitors coming to the zoo.

A zoo official tells the AP that the zoo has received more than 4,000 visitors during a weekday and more than 10,000 during a weekend.

But to keep up with the demand for fans eager to see Moo Deng, Khao Kheow Open Zoo is setting up cameras and plans to start a 24-hour live feed of the baby hippo in the coming week.

The Source

  • Information for this story was provided by the Associated Press and NPR.  The AP received comments from zoo officials about the number of visitors coming to the zoo to see Moo Deng as well as background on the baby hippo.  This story was reported from Washington, D.C.