Moo Deng, which means “jumping pig” in Thai, is famous for his short videos shared on social media by staff at Khao Kheow Zoo, documenting his daily life filled with clumsy but charming actions, attracting millions of fans. For example, the video of the tiny hippo Moo Deng trying to bite his caretaker despite not having any teeth yet, or the video of Moo Deng yawning and enjoying being petted by his caretaker has attracted 5.8 million views and this number continues to grow.
Moo Deng's sudden popularity has also caught zoo staff off guard. Narungwit Chodchoy, director of Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, said that normally on weekdays and during the rainy season - the low season - the facility receives about 800 visitors a day. However, the zoo now receives between 3,000 and 4,000 people on weekdays and about 20,000 on weekends, most of whom come to see Moo Deng. "Moo Deng fever" has motivated the facility to step up its service so that all visitors can meet the baby hippo.
However, Mr Narongwit said that although the zoo’s visitor numbers had increased by at least 30%, Moo Deng’s popularity had also caused some unwanted disruption to his life. The zoo director urged visitors to consider their actions and avoid causing harm when interacting with Moo Deng, warning that legal action could be taken against those who harmed the little hippo.
Moo Deng was born on July 10, and has siblings Moo Toon and Moo Warn, all of whom are named after dishes on Thai menus. Moo Deng's grandmother, Malee, recently celebrated her 59th birthday, making her the oldest hippo in Thailand. Native to West Africa, pygmy hippos are a subspecies of the common hippopotamus. According to the UK-based Pygmy Hippo Foundation, there are only about 2,000 pygmy hippos left in the wild, mainly in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Cote D'Ivoire.
Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/con-sot-moo-deng-keo-hang-chuc-nghin-nguoi-toi-tham-so-thu-thai-lan-393265.html
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