Moo Deng: Baby pygmy hippo becomes TikTok sensation

WASHINGTON — Thailand’s latest superstar, a child pygmy hippopotamus named Moo Deng, has gained the hearts of followers internationally in a single day. 

The two-month previous hippo has gone viral after the zoo shared movies of the charismatic animal consuming, having a shower and even nibbling — regardless of no enamel — on her caretaker’s knees. Moo Deng was born on July 10 on the Khao Kheow Zoo within the Chonburi province, roughly an hour-and-a-half exterior of Thailand’s capital. 

Moo Deng’s movies have garnered tens of millions of views on TikTok, with some clips being performed over 33 million occasions. Her sudden stardom has already granted her partnerships with manufacturers, together with Thailand’s Sephora who shared a put up on the way to copy the child hippo’s peachy cheeks with blush. 

The craze round Moo Deng in Thailand has even sparked some security considerations from the zoo, which positioned viewing restrictions on the child hippo. Khao Kheow Zoo’s guests will now solely have a 5-minute restrict to see the viral sensation and visiting days will solely be on the weekends, per the zoo’s announcement on Saturday.

Memes of Moo Deng’s shocked face have flooded social media, contributing to her in a single day stardom. The Khao Kheow Zoo has even introduced there can be merch dropping quickly that includes the child hippo.

Following the reveal of the child pygmy hippo, the zoo held a public vote searching for the right title for its latest addition. Greater than 20,000 folks voted for Moo Deng, which interprets to “bouncy pig.”

Pygmy hippos are native to West Africa, primarily round Liberia with some small numbers in Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Ivory Coast, based on the San Diego Zoo. Whereas they could appear to be a miniature model of the river hippo, pygmy hippos differ in behaviors and bodily traits — reaching solely half the peak of a hippopotamus.

Not a lot is understood concerning the endangered animal as roughly 2,000 pygmy hippos stay of their native habitat. An grownup pygmy hippo’s lifespan is between 30 to 50 years.