Moo-Deng, a two-month-old pygmy hippo at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, has become an internet sensation, capturing hearts across Asia with her adorable antics. Footage of her wobbling around her enclosure, nibbling her zookeeper, and being sprayed with water has gone viral, leading to cakes being made in her image and a cosmetics chain promoting products with a “wear your blush like a baby hippo” slogan.
Her fame on social media has led to her being named an “Icon” and “Legend” by Time magazine, with a TikTok account dedicated to the hippos at the zoo garnering 2.5 million followers. However, concerns have been raised about her welfare due to a surge in visitors and reports of tourists throwing water and seashells at her to wake her up for photos.
Despite her popularity, conservationists question the need for pygmy hippos to be kept in zoo settings when they are endangered in the wild, with habitat loss and hunting posing significant threats to their survival. Atthapon Nundee, Moo-Deng’s zookeeper, stressed that the zoo aims to keep the animals as close to nature as possible and hopes that her cuteness will raise awareness about the need for conservation efforts to protect the species.
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Photo credit www.theguardian.com