By Hanan Dervisevic, ABC News
Moo Deng has captured hearts on social media. Photo: Khao Kheow Open Zoo
With her pink cheeks and natural charisma, two-month-old pygmy hippo Moo Deng is drawing large crowds to the Thai zoo where she lives.
Moo Deng, which roughly translates to 'bouncy pig' in Thai, has been a social media hit since her keepers started uploading snippets of her life online.
Born in July to parents Jonah and Tony, Moo Deng has two siblings, who are also called variations of pork dishes.
Her half-sisters are called Moo Tun, meaning stewed pork, and Moo Wan, meaning sweet pork.
Moo Deng's name was chosen by a popular vote held by the zoo.
Since her birth, visitor numbers have almost doubled, according to Khao Kheow Open Zoo.
But not all the attention Moo Deng is receiving is welcome.
I WAS NOT EATING SAND pic.twitter.com/at2qFAqeO9
— hope hopes hoping (@hopes_revenge) September 12, 2024
Fame has come with a cost
Moo Deng's popularity has also resulted in zoo patrons mistreating the animal.
Videos posted online show some visitors throwing shellfish and even splashing water on the hippo to try to coax her out of sleep.
Zoo manager Narongwit Chodchoi condemned these behaviours in an online statement.
"It's not only cruel but also dangerous," Chodchoi said.
"We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment."
The zoo has installed CCTV cameras around the enclosure and threatened legal action against those who mistreat the baby hippo.
Crowd management strategies have also been implemented.
Khao Kheow Open Zoo is limiting groups to 50 people and allowing them five minutes to take a look at Moo Deng and the other pygmy hippopotamuses.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), experts believe there are fewer than 3000 left in the wild.
Online sensation
Moo Deng's miniature frame and adorable nature have gone wildly viral.
One particular video posted on Facebook - showing her yawning - has garnered 5.8 million views and counting.
"Moo Deng is a lifestyle icon and i need all of yall to get onboard," one user wrote on X.
"I'm obsessed with Moo Deng - I've been thinking about this queen all day long," another said.
Make-up inspired looks and clothing collection
The zoo, which is located about 100km southeast of Bangkok, has capitalised on the baby hippo's celebrity status.
A range of merchandise, including a hippo-inspired shirt and trouser combo, is now available to purchase in-person and online.
Meanwhile, retail makeup brand Sephora Thailand put out an advertisement on Instagram with a line of Moo Deng inspired blushes.
It allows customers to "wear your blush like a baby hippo".
- ABC News
