If you’ve noticed an influx of hippo pictures or the name “Moo Deng” flooding your social media explore page in the last few weeks, don’t worry, you’re not alone.
About a week ago, I started noticing several pictures and videos of a little baby hippo with pink cheeks from a zoo in Thailand showing up online, and like everyone else on the internet, I quickly became obsessed. But who is this hippo, and why is she so famous?
Who is Moo Deng?
Moo Deng, whose name translates to “Bouncy Pork” and refers to a type of Thai meatball, is a pygmy hippo, an endangered species native to West Africa. These hippos are increasingly threatened by poaching and habitat loss. Fortunately, Moo Deng was born on July 10, 2024, at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, which operates breeding programs to help preserve her species.
She is part of a large hippo family at the zoo, contributing to ongoing conservation efforts. Since then, she’s gained massive popularity after Khao Kheow’s zookeeper, Atthapon Nundee, began posting videos and pictures of her on their social media, and Moo Deng instantly became a viral meme. Nundee has been posting content about the animals in his care for the past five years and never imagined how his short videos could lead to virality for one of the zoo’s animals. Her popularity began in Thailand, but between her playfully aggressive nature and indisputable cuteness, are we even surprised she became an international icon?
Some of her most viral videos include her attempting to chew her handlers, either on the hand, the knee, or anywhere she can reach (which isn’t very far, considering she is tiny). The best part? She has no teeth yet, so she can’t bite despite her various attempts. It’s unusual to see Moo Deng not in motion; in videos she’s typically either bouncing around after her mother, running from her handlers, or trying to bite at the spray of water from her bath. In most pictures, you’ll find her mouth wide open and proudly showing off her toothless smile.
Now, it’s not rare for a cute baby animal to become internet famous, but internet memes in 2024 have a notoriously low lifespan. But since she was first posted a month ago, Moo Deng’s popularity hasn’t waned a bit. In fact, it’s only grown in the past week. Several fan accounts have flooded Twitter and Instagram, completely dedicated to sharing new angles of Moo Deng. Several artists have even started making fan art of her.
Her virality isn’t exclusive to online, either. Attendance at Khao Kheow Open Zoo has skyrocketed in the last few weeks, with people lining up to meet and video their latest favorite celebrity. The zoo’s social media has been transformed into almost exclusively Moo Deng content. The zoo has even begun the process of trademarking her name to retain her image and is set to use the profits gained to continue improving its animal conservation efforts. They are even planning to release merchandise with her face on it. Her marketability extends beyond the zoo, though, with Sephora Thailand posting about how to layer your blush to achieve Moo Deng’s classic pink cheeks on their Instagram.
However, the attention hasn’t been good for Moo Deng. Some visitors have tried to get a reaction from her by pouring water or tossing food on her. Since that behavior began, Khao Kheow Open Zoo has implemented five-minute visitation limits for Moo Deng and her family. The zoo has taken the proper measures to prevent harassment to ensure she remains safe and comfortable.
But don’t worry, true fans won’t have to live without content. Khao Kheow Open Zoo recently announced their intent to start a 24-hour live stream of Moo Deng, so viewers from all over can enjoy her antics in real time. Hope you enjoyed learning about her, but I’ve got to go—catching up on Moo Deng’s video cam!