How ‘world's cutest animal' Moo Deng captured hearts as viral pygmy hippo celebrates first birthday with incredible gift

The Sun

3 days ago

VIRAL baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng celebrated her first birthday on Thursday.
The Thai national treasure was spoiled with a massive tropical fruit platter as fans packed in to celebrate her four-day birthday bash.
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Moo Deng, whose name means "bouncing pig" in Thai, rose to fame last year thanks to her playful, clumsy antics.
She quickly became a viral sensation, inspiring memes, fan art, merchandise and even songs.
Thousands of fans flocked to the Khao Kheow Open Zoo - about 62 miles south of Bangkok - to take part in the baby hippo's four-day birthday celebrations.
Moo Deng's caretaker at the zoo, Atthapon Nundee, said: "Moo Deng has made more people know about the zoo and they travel here, generating so much income for us - which allows us to improve the zoo a lot."
The zoo treated Moo Deng and her 26-year-old mum Jona to a 44-pound "birthday cake", made of tropical fruit carved in Thai traditional style.
Zookeepers carried the platter into the enclosure and camera crew captured the sweet moment as the pair dug in.
The four-day celebration included a photo exhibition, a charity auction and a parade.
A cast of her footprints sold for 700,000 baht (£15,800), while her old plastic bathtub also fetched 50,000 baht (£1,128).
Mucharim Chutimatipakorn, who won the bid for the footprint cast, said: "I intended to get this because I love Moo Deng so much.
"I also want to contribute to the development of this zoo."
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All proceeds from the auction will go towards a wildlife conservation fund.
Who is Moo Deng?
Moo Deng is a pygmy hippopotamus.
Pygmy hippos are much smaller than common hippos, standing about half the height and weighing less than a quarter as much.
She is the seventh calf of 26-year-old Jona and 25-year-old Tony.
She became a viral sensation just weeks after she was born at Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha.
Her zookeeper Atthapon Nundee began sharing her playful antics online.
She's been featured on various platforms, including the official X account.
International sports teams like Germany's FC Bayern Munich, the Phoenix Suns and the Washington Commanders have even shared memes of her.
What does Moo Deng mean?
'Moo Deng' is the name of a popular Thai dish that is often interpreted as 'bouncy pork' because of the springy texture of the meat.
It's a beloved ingredient in Thai soups, stir-fries and noodle dishes.
The name was chosen by fans through a social media poll.
The zoo has a tradition of naming its hippos after pork dishes.
Moo Deng's siblings, who also live in the 2,000-acre open zoo, include:
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