Current:Home > InvestWho's that baby hippo on your timeline? Meet the wet, chubby 'lifestyle icon' captivating the internet -PureWealth Academy
Who's that baby hippo on your timeline? Meet the wet, chubby 'lifestyle icon' captivating the internet
View
Date:2025-04-14 19:55:31
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! (9138)
Related
- Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
- Fox News sends Tucker Carlson cease-and-desist letter over his new Twitter show
- Maine Governor Proposes 63 Clean Energy and Environment Reversals
- Illinois Lures Wind Farm Away from Missouri with Bold Energy Policy
- Illinois Gov. Pritzker calls for sheriff to resign after Sonya Massey shooting
- Tabitha Brown's Final Target Collection Is Here— & It's All About Having Fun in the Sun
- An Ambitious Global Effort to Cut Shipping Emissions Stalls
- Denver Nuggets defeat Miami Heat for franchise's first NBA title
- Illinois Gov. Pritzker calls for sheriff to resign after Sonya Massey shooting
- Biden gets a root canal without general anesthesia
Ranking
- What to watch: O Jolie night
- Lisa Rinna Reacts to Andy Cohen’s Claims About Her Real Housewives Exit
- Kit Keenan Shares The Real Reason She’s Not Following Mom Cynthia Rowley Into Fashion
- This $5 Tinted Moisturizer With 10,200+ 5-Star Reviews Is a Must-Have for Your Routine
- Intel's stock did something it hasn't done since 2022
- Researchers Develop Cerium Reactor to Make Fuel from Sunlight
- This It Cosmetics Balm Works as a Cleanser, Makeup Remover, and Mask: Get 2 for Less Than the Price of 1
- This It Cosmetics Balm Works as a Cleanser, Makeup Remover, and Mask: Get 2 for Less Than the Price of 1
Recommendation
Giants, Lions fined $200K for fights in training camp joint practices
Drier Autumns Are Fueling Deadly California Wildfires
Researchers Develop Cerium Reactor to Make Fuel from Sunlight
The U.S. Military Needed New Icebreakers Years Ago. A Melting Arctic Is Raising the National Security Stakes.
Former Milwaukee hotel workers charged with murder after video shows them holding down Black man
Conspiracy theorists hounded Grant Wahl's family when he died. Now they're back
Rebel Wilson Shares Adorable New Photos of Her Baby Girl on Their First Mother's Day
The FDA finalizes rule expanding the availability of abortion pills