Current:Home > reviewsWho's that baby hippo on your timeline? Meet the wet, chubby 'lifestyle icon' captivating the internet -WealthRoots Academy
Who's that baby hippo on your timeline? Meet the wet, chubby 'lifestyle icon' captivating the internet
View
Date:2025-04-13 22:47:33
Oh, baby! A little hippo in Thailand has taken the internet by storm, becoming a viral sensation and even inspiring Sephora to post about blushes that will make people "blush like a baby hippo."
Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippopotamus at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in eastern Thailand about two hours from Bangkok, has the internet and the world in a chokehold with her chubby, pink cheeks, tummy rolls and adorable expressions.
The two-month-old, whose name means "bouncing pig" in Thai, has millions of fans on social media following her clumsy adventures, including trying to nibble her handler despite not having teeth.
Who is Moo Deng?
Moo Deng was born on June 10, to mother Jona, 25 and father Tony, 24, with two other siblings Pork Stew and Sweet Pork at the zoo in Chonburi, NorthJersey.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, reported. She is the seventh child born to the hippo couple and is also the sibling of Moo Toon, another famous hippo, Pattaya Mail reported. Moo Deng is also the granddaughter of Thailand's oldest hippo, Malee, who recently celebrated her 59th birthday. The median life expectancy of pygmy hippos is 27 years, according to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
Pygmy hippopotamuses are a small breed of hippopotamus that are native to the forests and swamps of West Africa, according to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. They are known to be solitary and nocturnal but can sometimes be found in small family groups. Adults grow up to two and half to three feet high and around five feet in length, weighing between 350-600 pounds. Pygmy hippos are now classified as endangered, the alliance said, with possibly less than 3,000 individuals remaining in their native habitat.
Zoo draws thousands of visitors
Moo Deng's internet-fame has also translated into real life celebrity fame with the zoo drawing thousands of visitors, who visit every day just to get a glimpse of her.
Director of the Khao Kheow Open Zoo Narungwit Chodchoy told Reuters the zoo normally gets around 800 visitors on any given day during the rainy season, "which is a low season." After Moo Deng catapulted to fame, the zoo is now getting 3,000 to 4,000 people on weekdays, and welcomed almost 20,000 visitors over the weekend, Chodchoy said, adding that most of them came just to see Moo Deng.
"Moo Deng fever means we will have organize better so all visitors can see her," Narungwit told the media outlet.
Narungwit has also issued strict orders against those who bother Moo Deng after videos of visitors throwing water and shells on the baby pygmy were shared to social media, according to Pattaya Mail. Staff presence has also been increased during peak hours and surveillance cameras have also been installed.
Moo Deng: 'A lifestyle icon'
Moo Deng has inspired several advertisements including by Sephora Thailand and the NBA's Utah Jazz, with internet users referring to her as a 'lifestyle icon."
Contributing: Reuters, Maria Francis, USA TODAY NETWORK
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
veryGood! (143)
Related
- Retirement planning: 3 crucial moves everyone should make before 2025
- Jessie James Decker Gives Birth, Welcomes Baby No. 4 With Husband Eric Decker
- Rooney Mara Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby No. 2 With Joaquin Phoenix
- Adam Sandler Has Plenty of NSFW Jokes While Accepting People's Icon Award at 2024 People's Choice Awards
- Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
- E. coli outbreak: Raw cheese linked to illnesses in 4 states, FDA, CDC investigation finds
- What is Presidents Day and how is it celebrated? What to know about the federal holiday
- Presidents Day deals include sandwich, food and drink specials
- US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
- How Ziggy Marley helped bring the authenticity to ‘Bob Marley: One Love’
Ranking
- How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
- 'Oppenheimer' wins best picture at 2024 BAFTA Awards, the British equivalent of Oscars
- Minnesota community mourns 2 officers, 1 firefighter killed at the scene of a domestic call
- Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki's Son Found Dead at 19 at UC Berkeley
- 'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
- Larry Bird makes rare public speaking appearances during NBA All-Star Weekend
- Sizzling 62 at Riv: Hideki Matsuyama smiling again after winning 2024 Genesis Invitational
- Funerals held in Georgia for 2 U.S. soldiers killed in Jordan drone attack
Recommendation
The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding
Chris Brown says he was disinvited from NBA All-Star Celebrity Game due to controversies
After three decades spent On the Road, beloved photographer Bob Caccamise retires
Mega Millions winning numbers for Friday night's $457 million jackpot
Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
Get Long, Luxurious Lashes with These Top-Rated Falsies, Mascaras, Serums & More
2024 People’s Choice Awards Red Carpet Fashion: See Every Look as the Stars Arrive
Convicted killer who fled from a Phoenix-area halfway house is back in custody 4 days later