She’s an Icon, She’s a Legend, and She Is the Moment. Meet Viral Baby Hippo Moo Deng

Every move she makes is closely watched, each new photo taken of her widely shared and fervently discussed. Her effortlessly dewy glow is the subject of envy and inspiration for fanart and makeup tutorials. Moo Deng, of Thailand, is not your typical A-list celebrity, but she’s certainly being treated like one.

The unbearably adorable two-month-old baby pygmy hippopotamus at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi Province has wriggled her way into the hearts and minds of millions on the internet with her seemingly feisty antics and petrified looks. Social media users can’t get enough of her screaming face—when being sprayed with water, when being carried by zookeepers, or simply while lying on the ground.

Born on July 10—of course she’s sensitive, she’s a Cancer!—Moo Deng was unveiled to the public on July 25. Her name, which roughly translates to “bouncy pig” or “pork patty,” by various interpretations, was chosen by a popular vote held by the zoo.

Since then, well aware of her star power, Moo Deng’s zookeepers have diligently shared photos, videos, and memes of the baby hippo. As Moo Deng’s popularity has climbed, the zoo’s social media accounts (it has over 50,000 followers on X and over 400,000 on Facebook, while accounts dedicated specifically to its collection of hippos and capybaras now have over 200,000 on Instagram and over 2 million on TikTok) have become Moo Deng stan accounts, offering updates on her every move for her obsessed fans all over the world.

Moo Deng—who is almost always eating, sleeping, or being dramatic—has been hailed as a “lifestyle icon.” The unlikely It Girl has become the subject of endless fanart and forthcoming merch from the zoo. The Thai Embassy in Tokyo has embraced her, so has makeup company Sephora Thailand, which shared recommendations for blushes to mimic the baby hippo’s cherubic cheeks. A Bangkok cafe has whipped up cakes in the shape of Moo Deng, who just got her own Wikipedia page.

Of course, Moo Deng is not the only hippo at Khao Kheow Open Zoo. Over the weekend, the conservation center just celebrated the 59th birthday of Mae Mali, the country’s oldest-ever female hippo. While Mae Mali is said to weigh two tonnes (4,400 pounds), pygmy hippos like Moo Deng mature to a measly 500 pounds. Native to western Africa, pygmy hippos are an endangered species, with only about 2,000 of them remaining in the wild. 

Also, as social media users don’t want to take their eyes off Moo Deng, some fan-made photo collages have actually included a photo of Moo Wan, another pygmy hippo at Khao Kheow Open Zoo that went viral when she chomped on a zookeeper’s calf. (Moo Deng has also proven that she can pack a bite.)

Since Moo Deng went viral, visitors to Khao Kheow Open Zoo have more than doubled, with those flocking to see the baby hippo described as a “fan club.”

However, Moo Deng’s meteoric rise has come with concerns for her safety. In one video shared on social media, Moo Deng was lying on the edge of her enclosure when she was jolted by a stream of water that a visitor poured onto her. Some visitors, in an attempt to get her attention, have also reportedly thrown bananas and shellfish at Moo Deng, local media reported, sparking calls from social media users for better safety measures to protect the baby hippo.

On Thursday, Narongwit Chodchoi, the director of Khao Kheow Open Zoo, urged visitors to refrain from throwing things at Moo Deng, adding that the zoo has installed surveillance cameras in the area and would consider legal action against uncooperative humans. “These behaviors are not only cruel but also dangerous,” he said. “We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment.”

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