Latest news with #pygmyhippo
BBC News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Moo Deng the tiny hippo celebrates first birthday
It's a big happy birthday to Moo Deng who has celebrated turning one in style!The pygmy hippo became an internet hit last year after clips of her bouncing around went at her zoo in Thailand are holding four days of festivities with plenty of birthday treats to celebrate her special include a huge 20kg "cake" made out of fruit and vegetables. How is Moo Deng celebrating? Moo Deng, whose name means "bouncing pig" in Thai, became a global superstar last big personality attracted a huge number of followers from all over the pygmy hippo inspired fan art, merch, songs and memes too! And it appears that Moo Deng's popularity hasn't faded at all since of visitors travelled from across the globe to Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo to celebrate with four-day birthday bash included a photo exhibition and a parade. And what's a birthday party without a yummy treat?!Keepers also served Moo Deng and her mother Jona a special birthday "cake" - which was actually made of a selection of tropical fruits carved in a Thai traditional hippos, otherwise known as dwarf hippos, are native to West Africa and are classified as endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
‘Bouncy Pork' Thai pygmy hippo Moo Deng turns 1 with grand 4-day zoo festival, delights fans
Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo adored by fans worldwide, celebrated her first birthday on July 10 with an extravagant four-day party. Advertisement Moo Deng's home, the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province near Thailand's capital, Bangkok, organised a series of celebratory events from July 10 to 13. The zoo prepared a 20kg cake for the little hippo, crafted from her favourite tropical fruits, and shared it with her 26-year-old mother, Jona. Ahead of the celebration, the zoo auctioned the cake, with a skincare professional generously donating 100,000 baht (US$3,100), as reported by the Bangkok Post. In honour of Moo Deng's special day, the zoo prepared an impressive 20-kg cake, crafted from her favourite tropical fruits, which was shared with her 26-year-old mother, Jona. Photo: Instagram/@immoodeng Additionally, the zoo auctioned memorabilia associated with Moo Deng. Among the items were a black plastic bathtub she used as a baby, which sold for 50,000 baht (US$1,500), and a clay cast of her footprint, won by the cosmetic brand NAREE for 700,000 baht.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
How ‘world's cutest animal' Moo Deng captured hearts as viral pygmy hippo celebrates first birthday with incredible gift
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. 4 4 4 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." MOO WILL IT BE Watch moment viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng predicts 2024 US election winner 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: 4
CNA
2 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.
The Standard
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Standard
Hippo birthday: Thai internet sensation Moo Deng turns one
Moo Deng, a 1-year-old female pygmy hippo who became a viral internet sensation, eats a birthday cake at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province on July 10, 2025. (AFP)
