Latest news with #KhaoKheow
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Moo Deng, Thailand's star pygmy hippo, celebrates first birthday
Thousands gathered at Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo for a four-day celebration to mark the first birthday of internet sensation Moo Deng. Events included a photo exhibition, a charity auction and a parade.
CNA
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
Thailand's hippo Moo Deng draws crowds at first birthday bash
CHONBURI, Thailand: Thailand's baby pygmy hippo and internet sensation Moo Deng celebrated her first birthday on Thursday (Jul 10), devouring a massive tropical fruit platter alongside her mother as throngs of adoring fans turned up for her four-day party. Moo Deng, whose name means "bouncing pig" in Thai, became a global superstar last year, with images of her rosy cheeks and clumsily charming antics going viral online, inspiring fan art, merchandise, songs and memes around the world. Thousands of visitors converged on the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, 100km south of the capital Bangkok, taking turns to see the bouncy baby hippo during a four-day birthday bash that included a photo exhibition, a charity auction and a parade. "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," said Atthapon Nundee, Moo Deng's caretaker at the zoo. The zoo served Moo Deng and her 26-year-old mother, Jona, a 20kg "birthday cake" - which was a selection of tropical fruits carved in a Thai traditional style - that was carried into her enclosure by three zookeepers. Some of Moo Deng's prized possessions were auctioned during the festivities, including a plastic bathtub that she had used since her birth. The tub sold for 50,000 baht (US$1,530) while a cast of her footprints went for 700,000 baht.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Viral Sensation Moo Deng's Turns One: Fans Gather To Celebrate Birthday (Photos)
Thousands of visitors gathered at a zoo in Thailand on Thursday to celebrate baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng's first birthday, months after social media videos of her antics made her a viral internet sensation. Moo Deng's fans gathered to celebrate the viral sensation's first birthday. Getty Images Khao Kheow Open Zoo, which is located around 60 miles south of Bangkok, is hosting a four-day festival to celebrate its star resident's first birthday, AFP reported. The first day of the celebration coincided with Asalha Puja, a public holiday in Thailand, and many fans gathered outside her enclosure to watch her eat a $3,000 (THB 100,000) tropical fruit platter arranged to resemble a birthday cake. The zoo also auctioned off several of Moo Deng's items, including a bathtub she used for $2,150 (THB 70,000) and a cast of her footprints for around $21,500 (THB 700,000), Reuters reported. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to a wildlife conservation fund, the report added. Moo Deng, whose name translates to 'Bouncy Pork' or 'Bouncy Pig' in Thai, was born at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo on July 10 last year. She became an immediate social media sensation after the zoo shared photos of her on Facebook. The baby pygmy hippo's name was chosen through a public vote, with over 20,000 people picking 'Moo Deng.' Moo Deng's popularity caused the zoo's traffic to double in September. However, people raised concerns about her well-being after videos emerged on social media showing visitors splashing water and throwing objects at her. The zoo eventually limited viewing times and installed security cameras to dissuade visitors from harassing their star attraction. The zoo has since trademarked Moo Deng's name to prevent unauthorized commercialization of her name and image. Tangent The pygmy hippo is native to Western Africa and is listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List. According to the agency's estimates, only between 2,000 and 2,500 adult pygmy hippos remain in the wild, and their population is in decline. Moo Deng eats a fruit topped cake with her mother Jonah. Getty Images Thousands of vistors gathered at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo to celebrate Moo Deng's first birthday. AFP via Getty Images The zoo is holding a four day festival to celebrate viral baby pygmy hippo turning one. Getty Images The Khao Kheow Open Zoo saw a major boost in attendance last year after Moo Deng became a social ... More media star. Getty Images A $3,000 tropical fruit arrangement fashioned to look like a cake was presented to Moo Deng and her ... More mother. AFP via Getty Images Children pose for pictures with a giant Moo Deng during a celebration for her first birthday. Getty Images Visitors buy Moo Deng souvenirs at the zoo. Getty Images Thailand's adorable pygmy hippo Moo Deng has the kind of face that launches a thousand memes (Associated Press) A baby hippo is going viral - and paying the price (BBC)
SBS Australia
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
Thailand's viral hippo Moo Deng celebrates her first birthday
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 — which means "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 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 from 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 added. Moo Deng has swollen from 5kg at birth to 93kg 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 added. Her handlers are set to auction her belongings later, but it is unclear what possessions she has accumulated in her short life at the Chonburi province zoo, a two-hour drive from Bangkok. 'Cute doesn't last long' 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 2500 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.
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
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. - 'Cute doesn't last long' - 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.
