A two-month-old pygmy hippo in Thailand, who became a social media sensation, has been subjected to harassment by zoo visitors, prompting the zoo to increase security around her enclosure.
Moo Deng, whose name means “bouncy pork,” gained fame after videos of her from the zoo’s TikTok account went viral. Born on June 10 at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, Moo Deng is one of three siblings: Moo Tun (“stewed pork”) and Moo Wan (“sweet pork”). She was introduced to the public on July 25, with her name chosen through a zoo poll.
Zookeeper Atthapon Nundee shared with The Guardian, “The moment I saw Moo Deng born, I set a goal to make her famous, but I never expected it would spread abroad. I thought she could be famous in Thailand but not internationally.”
Moo Deng STUNS in new photos https://t.co/Xmyp7cFhcp
— Patrick Monahan (@pattymo) September 9, 2024
BUT MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM pic.twitter.com/cxubCWuhUi
— hope hopes hoping (@hopes_revenge) September 8, 2024
Social media users have been captivated by Moo Deng’s daily activities, from being sprayed with water to being carried by zookeepers, displaying her new teeth, or simply lounging in her enclosure.
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The only time Mu-Deng stops yelling is when she’s biting 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗 pic.twitter.com/QNMDlL8rtw
— Martha Kelly (@MarthaKelly3) September 12, 2024
I WAS NOT EATING SAND pic.twitter.com/at2qFAqeO9
— hope hopes hoping (@hopes_revenge) September 12, 2024
Moo Deng’s rising fame has led to a substantial increase in zoo visitors, with numbers reaching between 6,000 and 7,000 on weekends, according to Thai PBS.
However, the attention isn’t always positive. A video circulating on social media shows Moo Deng sleeping in her enclosure while a visitor pours water on her. Additionally, some visitors have thrown bananas and shellfish into her enclosure in attempts to attract her attention.
มีคนก็เอาเปลือกหอยหรือหินเขวี้ยงใส่ อีกคนก็เอาน้ำสาดใส่ เพราะแค่อยากให้น้อฃงขยับตัวให้ตัวเองได้ดู
คือมึงต้องโตกันมาแบบไหนวะ มารยาทไม่มีติดตัวกันมาเลยเหรอ อะไรควรทำไม่ควรทำคือคิดบ้างสิ สงสารหมูเด้งเลย ไม่รู้ว่าน้องโดนรังแกไปกี่ครั้งแล้ว #หมูเด้ง #ฮิปโปแคระ #สวนสัตว์เปิดเขาเขียว pic.twitter.com/OK1fOOPlu5— iiMii (@iioimioii) September 10, 2024
Narongwit Chodchoi, the director of Khao Kheow Open Zoo, issued a statement on Thursday urging visitors not to throw objects at Moo Deng or make loud noises. He warned that the zoo might pursue legal action against those who misbehave, as reported by the Bangkok Post.
“These behaviours are not only cruel but also dangerous,” Chodchoi said. “We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment.”
He also mentioned that the zoo has installed surveillance cameras and appointed an officer to monitor Moo Deng’s enclosure.
Moo Deng, who has been celebrated by Time magazine as a “legend” and “the moment,” has inspired fan art, zoo merchandise, and even makeup looks from Sephora. Additionally, a popular café in Bangkok, Vetmon Café, created a cake in her honor, which has been described as “too cute to eat.”
毎日見てるだけです #หมูเด้ง pic.twitter.com/mv4PIpJTH8
— สวนสัตว์เปิดเขาเขียว Khao Kheow Open Zoo (@kkopzoo) September 11, 2024
Pygmy hippos, which are native to western Africa, are classified as an endangered species. It is estimated that only around 2,000 of these animals remain in the wild.
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Indonesia recently celebrated the birth of a baby Javan rhinoceros, a critically endangered species. The environment and forestry ministry shared footage from May, recorded at Ujung Kulon National Park on Java’s western tip, showing the newborn calf, Iris, walking alongside her mother.
According to the International Rhino Foundation, only about 80 Javan rhinoceroses remain globally, all of which are found in Indonesia.