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Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Moo Deng turns one with a 'hippo' birthday bash and 100 devoted fans at Thailand zoo
Moo Deng , Thailand 's internet-famous pygmy hippo , celebrated her first birthday on Thursday at Khao Kheow Open Zoo , drawing crowds of loyal admirers determined to mark the occasion—even as her once-explosive popularity begins to wane. Still, the affection hasn't disappeared entirely. On Thursday, about 100 fans gathered to watch her plod about her pen, far fewer than the crowds at her peak but still animated by devotion. On her birthday, she munched through a lavish fruit cake sponsored by a skincare beautician who paid $3,000 for the honour. Later, zoo officials plan to auction some of her belongings, though what exactly she has accumulated in her short life remains something of a mystery. Jennifer Tang, who traveled from Malaysia and took a week off work to see Moo Deng, described her as a 'chaos rage potato.' 'She's still really sassy and funny,' Tang told AFP. 'She makes me happy.' Named 'Bouncy Pork' in Thai, Moo Deng burst onto the global stage last year as a tiny, pink-faced calf whose antics delighted millions. She amassed over five million social media followers and inspired a flood of memes, merchandise, and livestreams. Live Events A year later, she has outgrown the sprightly tumbles that first made her famous. Weighing a sturdy 93 kilograms—up from just 5 at birth—she now spends her days leisurely munching fruit and dozing in her modest stone enclosure. 'She used to be very naughty and jumped around all the time,' said her handler Attaphol Nundee told the news agency. 'Now she mostly eats and sleeps.' The fleeting power of cuteness Moo Deng's story is as much about internet culture as it is about conservation. When she first arrived, the zoo's ticket sales quadrupled, and her baby face inspired everything from piggy banks to popsicles—eventually prompting her caretakers to trademark her likeness. But as she has grown up, the frenzy has slowed. Search trends and social media metrics show her fame peaked last September before gradually declining. 'Moo Deng went viral very quickly,' said Joshua Paul Dale, a researcher at Japan's Chuo University who studies the global obsession with cute animals. 'Part of our appreciation of cuteness is knowing it doesn't last very long.' Indeed, she joins a parade of fleetingly adored animal stars, from Australia's Pesto the penguin to China's panda Hua Hua, whose fame was as swift as it was intense. A legacy beyond likes Though her viral moment may be fading, Moo Deng has helped shine a light on the endangered pygmy hippo—native to West Africa, where fewer than 2,500 survive in the wild. Her handlers say that while the public's attention may shift, Moo Deng herself hasn't lost her spark. 'Her eyes light up when people take photos,' Attaphol told AFP. And even as the internet moves on, her caretakers are realistic about the cycle of fame. 'Moo Deng won't be the most popular forever,' Attaphol admitted. 'One day, there will be a new generation of Moo Deng.'
ABC News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Thailand's famous hippo, Moo Deng, celebrates her first birthday
Thailand's internet-famous pygmy hippo Moo Deng has celebrated her first birthday, leaving behind the animal infancy which boosted her to worldwide fame. Crowds have been invited to a four-day festival at Khao Kheow Open Zoo where Moo Deng — meaning "Bouncy Pork" in Thai — frolicked to stardom and amassed five million social media fans. The first day of the extravaganza falls on a Thai public holiday and the agenda includes a lecture on "Moo Deng's cheekiness" while a skincare beautician has paid $4,500 to sponsor her fruit-festooned cake. Her handlers are also scheduled to auction off her belongings — but it is unclear what possessions Moo Deng has accumulated in her short life at the Chonburi province zoo. There were hopes her stardom would spotlight the plight of the endangered pygmy hippo, native to West Africa, with only about 2,500 left alive according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. But social media and search engine metrics suggest Moo Deng's popularity peaked around late September last year before dramatically declining. "Moo Deng went viral very quickly when she was born," said Joshua Paul Dale, an academic who teaches courses on the phenomenon of "cuteness" at Japan's Chuo University. Moo Deng's blubbery rose-blushed face launched a thousand memes and a plethora of merchandise including piggy banks and popsicles — prompting her owners to trademark her likeness. The pint-sized pygmy hippo quadrupled ticket sales for the zoo where her small and sparse enclosure was once broadcasted by a 24/7 live stream. Moo Deng is part of a pantheon of captive animals who have enjoyed flash-in-the-pan popularity for their cuteness online, including Melbourne's Pesto the penguin. Pygmy hippos have a life span of between 30 and 50 years. While Mr Dale predicts she may lose the limelight to longevity, he says Moo Deng could enjoy enduring appeal as fans recall "how unbearably cute she was when she was very, very small and just born". AFP
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Thailand's pygmy hippo Moo Deng celebrates first birthday amid fading internet fame
Moo Deng, Thailand's internet-famous pygmy hippo, marked her first birthday on July 10, 2025, drawing loyal fans despite her fading online fame. A four-day celebration is underway at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, where Moo Deng first captured global attention with her playful behavior and chubby appearance. First birthday of Thailand's pygmy hippo Moo Deng celebrated with four-day festivalhttps:// — AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 10, 2025 The young hippo, whose name translates to 'Bouncy Pork' in Thai, skyrocketed to fame last year and amassed over five million social media followers. Born at just 5kg, she now weighs 93kg and resides in a public enclosure that was once livestreamed around the clock to feed the internet's fascination. Celebrations for her birthday included a $3,000 fruit-covered cake sponsored by a skincare brand and a themed lecture titled 'Moo Deng's cheekiness.' Among those in attendance was Malaysian fan Jennifer Tang, who took a week off work to visit the zoo. She described Moo Deng as a 'chaos rage potato' and added, 'She's really special to me, she makes me happy.' Tang insisted the hippo remains 'sassy and funny' despite becoming more reserved with age. Moo Deng's handlers noted the shift in her behavior as she matures. 'She used to be very naughty and jumped around all the time,' said handler Attaphol Nundee. 'Now she only eats and sleeps.' While they admit her popularity has slowed, fans—both old and new—still flock to see her. As Moo Deng's playful days fade, experts suggest her waning popularity may reflect broader trends in internet virality. 'Maybe part of our appreciation of cuteness is knowing that it doesn't last very long,' said Joshua Paul Dale, a professor at Chuo University in Japan. Though her fame may have peaked, Moo Deng remains an iconic figure of online animal stardom. Handlers have hinted that some of her belongings may soon be auctioned.
Int'l Business Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Int'l Business Times
Hippo Birthday: Thai Internet Sensation Moo Deng Is A Year Old
Thailand's pygmy hippo Moo Deng marked her first birthday on Thursday, drawing crowds of diehard fans even as she left behind the cute animal infancy that earned her worldwide internet fame. Big crowds are expected at a four-day festival at Khao Kheow Open Zoo where Moo Deng -- meaning "Bouncy Pork" in Thai -- frolicked to stardom and amassed five million social media followers. The first day of the extravaganza fell on a Thai public holiday with an agenda including a lecture on "Moo Deng's cheekiness", while a skincare beautician paid $3,000 to sponsor her fruit-festooned birthday cake. Around 100 fans gathered outside her enclosure on Thursday morning -- fewer than the hordes she commanded at the height of her fame, but still animated with adoration. Jennifer Tang took a week off her work in Malaysia to make the pilgrimage, telling AFP she was "a little bit obsessed" with the calf she described as a "chaos rage potato". "She's really special to me, she makes me happy," she said. Tang insisted Moo Deng is "still really sassy and funny" despite approaching maturity. "Take a look at the crowd today -- she's still a legend," she told AFP. Moo Deng has swollen from five kilograms (11 pounds) at birth to 93 kilograms today. She spent her birthday plodding in her enclosure, munching fruit and vegetables -- a stark contrast to the energetic yet clumsy antics that earned her fame as a pint-sized pachyderm. "Moo Deng used to be very naughty and jumped around all the time," said Attaphol Nundee, one of her six handlers. "Now she only eats and sleeps." "Her popularity has slowed," admitted the 32-year-old. "But some old fans have returned, and there are new ones too." Despite her waning fame "her eyes light up when people take photos of her", he said. Her handlers are set later to auction her belongings, but it is unclear what possessions she has accumulated in her short life at the Chonburi province zoo, a two-hour drive from Bangkok. Moo Deng's blubbery rose-blushed face launched a thousand memes and a plethora of merchandise including piggy banks, party shirts and popsicles -- prompting her owners to trademark her likeness. She once quadrupled ticket sales for the zoo where she resides in a sparse, stone, five square metre (54 square feet) public enclosure, once livestreamed 24/7 to sate the internet's appetite for her. There were hopes her stardom would spotlight the plight of the endangered pygmy hippo, native to West Africa with only around 2,500 left alive according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature But social media and search engine metrics suggest Moo Deng's popularity peaked around late September last year before dramatically declining. "Moo Deng went viral very quickly when she was born," said Joshua Paul Dale, an academic who teaches courses on the phenomenon of "cuteness" at Japan's Chuo University. "Maybe part of our appreciation of cuteness is knowing that it's something that doesn't last very long," he told AFP. Moo Deng is part of a pantheon of captive animals who have enjoyed flash-in-the-pan popularity for their cuteness online, including Australia's Pesto the penguin and China's Hua Hua the panda. Pygmy hippos have a lifespan of between 30 and 50 years. "Moo Deng won't be the most popular forever," admitted her handler Attaphol. "One day there will be a new generation of Moo Deng."
The Wire
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Wire
Thailand's Pygmy Hippo Moo Deng Is Now One: What Her Popularity Says About the Internet
Crowds have been invited to a four-day festival at Khao Kheow Open Zoo where Moo Deng – meaning 'Bouncy Pork' in Thai – frolicked to stardom and amassed five million social media fans. Moo Deng at two months old on September 15, 2024. Photo: AFP Thailand's pygmy hippo Moo Deng marked her first birthday on Thursday, leaving behind the animal infancy which boosted her to worldwide internet fame for her cute antics. Crowds have been invited to a four-day festival at Khao Kheow Open Zoo where Moo Deng – meaning "Bouncy Pork" in Thai – frolicked to stardom and amassed five million social media fans. The first day of the extravaganza falls on a Thai public holiday and the agenda includes a lecture on "Moo Deng's cheekiness" while a skincare beautician has paid $3,000 to sponsor her fruit-festooned cake. Her handlers are also scheduled to auction off her belongings – but it is unclear what possessions Moo Deng has accumulated in her short life at the Chonburi province zoo a two-hour drive from Bangkok. There were hopes her stardom would spotlight the plight of the endangered pygmy hippo, native to West Africa with only around 2,500 left alive according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. But social media and search engine metrics suggest Moo Deng's popularity peaked around late September last year before dramatically declining. "Moo Deng went viral very quickly when she was born," said Joshua Paul Dale, an academic who teaches courses on the phenomenon of "cuteness" at Japan's Chuo University. "Maybe part of our appreciation of cuteness is knowing that it's something that doesn't last very long," he told AFP. Moo Deng's blubbery rose-blushed face launched a thousand memes and a plethora of merchandise including piggy banks, party shirts and popsicles – prompting her owners to trademark her likeness. The pint-sized pachyderm quadrupled ticket sales for the zoo where her small and sparse enclosure was once broadcasted by a 24/7 livestream. Moo Deng is part of a pantheon of captive animals who have enjoyed flash-in-the-pan popularity for their cuteness online, including Australia's Pesto the penguin and China's Hua Hua the panda. Pygmy hippos have a lifespan of between 30 and 50 years. While academic Dale predicts she may lose the limelight to longevity, he says Moo Deng could enjoy enduring appeal as fans recall "how unbearably cute she was when she was very, very small and just born". "That can kind of continue on and affect our relationship with cute things, even when they grow up," he said. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
