It’s no secret that becoming famous today is as simple as having a few notable images on the internet. Digital presences and viral moments make thousands of people famous every year, but the newest beloved sensation isn’t even a human. Instead, she is a baby pygmy hippopotamus from Thailand named Moo Deng. Moo Deng, who is only two months old, has already amassed millions of views from social media photos and has become the subject of parodies on Saturday Night Live.
Moo Deng was born in July 2024 in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha, Thailand. The zoo held a public poll to name the baby hippo, and over 20,000 people voted for the name Moo Deng, which translates to “bouncy pig.” Khao Kheow Zoo regularly shared images of the hippos in the zoo, and Moo Deng gained popularity rapidly because of her playful behavior. The zoo capitalized on her newfound popularity and began selling merchandise featuring Moo Deng. As an unfortunate side effect of Moo Deng’s sudden rise to fame, the zoo reported visitors were harassing the hippo. Some visitors have been called out for splashing the baby with water or throwing objects at her to wake her up. To accommodate the exorbitant number of visitors, the zoo implemented a five-minute time limit for visitors at the hippopotamus habitat.
Moo Deng’s popularity has already affected many aspects of Thai and global culture. On September 28, Saturday Night Live used Moo Deng to satirize American singer Chappell Roan’s criticism of fame and political endorsements. The University of Buffalo research professor Daniel Kruger shared with Forbes his hypothesis that Moo Deng’s popularity stems from people’s attraction to baby animals that resemble human babies, and the human nature to care for infants.
The Khao Kheow Zoo has planned many ways to capitalize on the fame of Moo Deng. The zoo has trademarked “Moo Deng the hippo” in order to sell merchandise and raise funds for the zoo. Additionally, the zoo intends to debut a continuous livestream for fans worldwide to observe Moo Deng. However, Khao Kheow Zoo has also received backlash. PETA has criticized the zoo for keeping Moo Deng captive despite pygmy hippos being endangered. The zoo refuted these claims by asserting that they care for all their animals. The Thai Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals stated that PETA likely relied on outdated information surrounding animal welfare in Thailand to make these claims.
