Who is Moo Deng? Meet Thailand’s Cutest Internet Sensation

Everyone – including, perhaps, yourself – has fallen madly in love with Moo Deng. If you’re among her many fans, then you know just how adorable she is. A pygmy hippo born July 10, 2024, Moo Deng currently resides at the two-thousand-acre Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, approximately a two-hour drive from Bangkok.

Her name, which translates to “Bouncy Pork” in English, was chosen by fans on a social media poll. Funnily enough, her siblings are also named after Thai pork dishes. Another female pygmy hippo, her half-sister, is called Moo Wan, which means "Thai Sweet Pork," while the other is Pha Lor, also known as "Pork Belly Stew." Moo Deng’s brother, Moo Tun, is named after "Stewed Pork."

Among her many cheeky antics, Moo Deng has been seen mimicking her mother munching on grass or attempting a playful bite at her caretaker. She is most famously photographed with her mouth wide open, eliciting adoring responses from people who find it funny, or comically enough, even relatable.

It’s obvious that Moo Deng’s personality has outshone her small stature, but her Internet fame has gotten even bigger. It all began when Atthapon Nundee, a zookeeper at Khao Kheow Open Zoo, began posting clips of the animals on social media during the pandemic. When Moo Deng was born, Atthapon had hoped she would become well-loved online — but he had no idea of just how big Moo Deng would truly become.

Since those first few clips of Moo Deng surfaced online, she has since become more than just an Internet meme. Today, she has her own line of merchandise produced by Khao Kheow Open Zoo; the zoo has also registered a trademark and copyright for the Moo Deng-themed merchandise they plan to launch. The baby pygmy hippo was also the inspiration for a Sephora Thailand campaign, urging shoppers to “wear your blush like a baby hippo.” She’s a Utah Jazz meme and a topic for Grab Thailand marketing. She even has her own livestream and is the subject of thousands of fan art online.

Needless to say, Khao Kheow Open Zoo has been on the receiving end of plenty of attention. Over 4,000 people now visit on the weekdays, up from around 800. On the weekends, it wouldn’t be a stretch to estimate that 10,000 visitors line up outside their doors (up from the usual 3,000!).

Unfortunately, however, not everyone is as nice to Moo Deng as one might expect. Videos have surfaced of people throwing water or trash at Moo Deng, trying to get her attention. It's important to note that, as a baby and as a nocturnal creature, Moo Deng is only up and active for about two hours in a day!

Since then, zoo authorities have installed CCTV cameras and signs around the enclosure where Moo Deng stays with her mother, Jona. Aggressive visitors have also been threatened with legal action.

Despite this notoriety however, Moo Deng’s popularity is a hopeful occurrence for many wildlife conservationists. As a pygmy hippo (Choeropsis liberiensis), Moo Deng is considered an endangered animal, one rarer than the common hippo known as Hippopotamus amphibius. Aside from their difference in size — pygmys are much smaller and weigh significantly less than common hippos — there’s also a stark difference in the numbers of the species. There are an estimated 115,000 to 130,000 common hippos in the world, a much larger quantity than the estimated 2,000 pygmy hippos in the wild. It’s incredibly rare to see one as they are also more reclusive than common hippos and often rest while well-hidden.

It’s obvious that much needs to be done in terms of both visitor education and conservation efforts. With this, Khao Kheow Open Zoo aims to use Moo Deng’s popularity to uplift other creatures in their care. Through the sales of Moo Deng merchandise — and its registered trademark and copyright — the zoo aims to fund captive breeding initiatives that will hopefully introduce more people to the incredible animals in Thailand and around the world.

Location: Khao Kheow Open Zoo, 7 235 Bang Phra, Si Racha District, Chon Buri 20110, Thailand