WASHINGTON — Thailand's newest celebrity, a baby pygmy hippopotamus named Moo Deng, has won the hearts of fans across the world overnight.
The 2-month old hippo has gone viral after the zoo shared videos of the charismatic animal eating, taking a shower and even nibbling — despite no teeth — on her caretaker's knees. Moo Deng was born on July 10 at the Khao Kheow Zoo in the Chonburi province, roughly an hour-and-a-half outside of Thailand's capital.
Moo Deng's videos have garnered millions of views on TikTok, with some clips being played over 33 million times. Her sudden stardom has already granted her partnerships with brands, including Thailand's Sephora who shared a post on how to copy the baby hippo's peachy cheeks with blush.
The craze around Moo Deng in Thailand has even sparked some safety concerns from the zoo, which placed viewing restrictions on the baby hippo. Khao Kheow Zoo's visitors will now only have a 5-minute limit to see the viral sensation and visiting days will only 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 overnight stardom. The Khao Kheow Zoo has even announced there will be merch dropping soon featuring the baby hippo.
Following the reveal of the baby pygmy hippo, the zoo held a public vote in search of the perfect name for its newest addition. More than 20,000 people voted for Moo Deng, which translates to "bouncy pig."
Pygmy hippos are native to West Africa, mainly around Liberia with some small numbers in Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Ivory Coast, according to the San Diego Zoo. While they may seem like a miniature version of the river hippo, pygmy hippos differ in behaviors and physical traits — reaching only half the height of a hippopotamus.
Not much is known about the endangered animal as roughly 2,000 pygmy hippos remain in their native habitat. An adult pygmy hippo's lifespan is between 30 to 50 years.
