Moo Deng: The Cutest Hippo On The Internet

A playful and pudgy baby hippopotamus in Thailand who loves splashing about in water and enjoys belly rubs from her keeper has captivated the internet and left the zoo housing her struggling to manage large crowds jostling to see the latest global celebrity.

Moo Deng, the two-month-old pygmy hippo, has become a viral sensation after her videos of bathing, playfully biting, and sleeping went viral on social media. Her snot bubbles even have a separate fan base.

Moo Deng, whose name translates to “bouncy pork”, has seen an increased attendance at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, Thailand. The zoo saw more than 10,000 visitors over the weekend, up from around the usual 3,000. Moo's cuteness has also led to plans for a 24/7 livestream, though it is not yet up and running.

Moo Deng's Meme-Worthy Fame

The Associated Press described Moo Deng as having “the kind of face that launches a thousand memes”. Moo Deng in Thai is a type of meatball. It was reported that the name was chosen by fans through a social media poll, keeping in theme with her siblings: Moo Toon (stewed pork) and Moo Waan (sweet pork). The zoo also has a common hippo named Kha Moo (stewed pork leg).

Moo Deng's cuteness has not gone unnoticed by brands and businesses. The cosmetic brand Sephora, in its advertising for blush products in Thailand, claims to offer Moo Deng’s “pink & peachy tone” cheeks. A bakery in Bangkok announced on Facebook that it had to limit orders for its Moo Deng-inspired cakes due to overwhelming demand. The Thai Embassy in Tokyo shared photos of Moo Deng on X and encouraged visitors to the zoo.

Moo Deng's Impact On Conservation

Moo Deng's time in the spotlight is being used by the zoo to highlight the plight of the species. “I hope that the cuteness of Moo-Deng will raise awareness for people to come and learn about [the species],” Nundee was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

Moo Deng was born almost two months ago at the zoo in Chonburi. Only a month after her birth, her videos exploded on TikTok and social media quickly became obsessed.

Moo Deng And The Controversy Around The Zoo

The zoo has faced backlash in the past over its elephant swimming shows. The zoo has defended the shows, despite social media outrage calling it an example of animal cruelty.

In 2021, the Khao Kheow Open Zoo met with backlash over its elephant swimming shows. It featured performances where elephants swim, dance, and perform tricks while visitors watch through a glass enclosure.

The controversy intensified after a photo titled “Elephant in the Room” by Adam Oswell won an award at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards 2021, organised by the Natural History Museum in London.

In an interview, the zoo’s then director, Tewin Rattanawongsawat, defended the shows, saying that swimming is a natural behaviour for elephants and that they are not forced to perform, as no mahouts ride them. He said that the elephants swim freely and receive food rewards after each show.

Animal rights activists said that the practice was cruel and urged the Chonburi governor at the time to shut down the zoo and transfer the elephants to a sanctuary.

“No elephant would exhibit these types of behaviours in the wild, so in order to make them do so for the crowds, trainers use cruel techniques to make sure their charges will do what they say when they say it,” a petition posted on Care2 noted. The zoo’s website still shows the timing for elephant swimming shows on its homepage.

Moo Deng And The Future Of Viral Animal Celebrities

Moo Deng’s fame has attracted some overly enthusiastic visitors to the zoo. She typically wakes up to play for just two hours a day, but some videos have shown people splashing water or tossing objects to rouse her from sleep.

The zoo has now placed a warning sign at the hippo pit, prominently displayed in Thai, English, and Chinese, advising against throwing things at Moo Deng.

“These behaviours are not only cruel but also dangerous,” zoo director Chodchoi told reporters. “We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment.”

The zoo has now set up security cameras in Moo Deng’s habitat and alerted visitors about potential legal consequences for any rule violations.

Given her rising fame, the zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi announced that they are in the process of copyrighting and trademarking “Moo Deng the hippo” to prevent unauthorised commercialisation.

“After we do this, we will have more income to support activities that will make the animals’ lives better,” he told the Associated Press.

Moo Deng's Legacy

Moo Deng’s fame has brought the spotlight back on past allegations of cruelty at crowded animal shows in Thai zoos amid a post-Covid tourism boost.

The Washington Post pointed out that research indicates especially cute animals possess “baby schema” traits – physical features resembling those of infants – that activate our instinct to care for them. It noted that Moo Deng’s large eyes and adorable skin rolls evoke our nurturing instincts, even though she’s a pygmy hippo.

“When we see these infantile features – those big eyes, large foreheads, small chins, and pudgy bodies – we interpret that as helplessness and as dependency, and it motivates us to care for them,” Daniel Kruger, a research scientist in evolutionary psychology at the University of Michigan and the State University of New York at Buffalo, was quoted as saying.

“That little rolly-polly face is wonderfully squishable. She is often seen screeching and bouncing around like a tusked Roomba. Moo Deng is, effectively, an exotic, somewhat slimy English bulldog. What is there not to love about that?” gushed a Mashable piece.

“We get to anthropomorphise a personality unto them as a collective. We see open-mouthed, blurry snaps of Moo Deng, and we get to make her a mischievous, cherubic little character. In the absence of, you know, animals being able to express themselves, we do it for them. It’s sort of what we do with our own pets. Together, we make an adorable creation.”

Moo Deng's story is a reminder of the power of the internet to bring attention to both the joy and the challenges of animal welfare. As Moo Deng continues to capture hearts around the world, it is important to remember that her cuteness comes with a responsibility to ensure that all animals are treated with respect and care.