Current:Home > MarketsWho's that baby hippo on your timeline? Meet the wet, chubby 'lifestyle icon' captivating the internet -FutureWise Finance
Who's that baby hippo on your timeline? Meet the wet, chubby 'lifestyle icon' captivating the internet
View
Date:2025-04-16 08:15:53
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! (7552)
Related
- What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
- 49ers Quarterback Brock Purdy and Jenna Brandt Are Married
- Why Dwayne Johnson Is Rooting For Best Friend Emily Blunt and Oppenheimer at Oscars 2024
- 2024 Oscars: You’ll Want to Hear Ariana Grande Raving About Wicked
- Don't let hackers fool you with a 'scam
- Can Carbon Offsets Save a Fragile Band of Belize’s Tropical Rainforest?
- Time change for 2024 daylight saving happened last night. Here are details on our spring forward.
- Margot Robbie Trades Barbie Pink for Shimmering Black at the 2024 Oscars
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- Chris Evans and His Leading Lady Alba Baptista Match Styles at Pre-Oscars Party
Ranking
- SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
- Social media reacts to Sean O'Malley's dominant title defense at UFC 299 vs. Marlon Vera
- Emily Blunt and John Krasinski's White-Hot Coordinating Oscars Looks Will Make Your Jaw Drop
- I said no to my daughter's sleepover invitation. Sexual violence is just too rampant.
- New Mexico governor seeks funding to recycle fracking water, expand preschool, treat mental health
- How to watch Caitlin Clark, Iowa play Nebraska in Big Ten tournament championship
- Scarlett Johansson plays Katie Britt in 'SNL' skit, Ariana Grande performs with help of mom Joan
- 15 Best-Selling Products on Amazon That Will Help You Adjust to Daylight Savings
Recommendation
Retirement planning: 3 crucial moves everyone should make before 2025
No recoverable oil is left in the water from sheen off Southern California coast, officials say
Maluma and Girlfriend Susana Gomez Welcome First Baby
'Built by preppers for preppers': See this Wisconsin compound built for off-the-grid lifestyles
Taylor Swift makes surprise visit to Kansas City children’s hospital
Margot Robbie Trades Barbie Pink for Shimmering Black at the 2024 Oscars
Ariana Grande Channels Glinda in Wickedly Good Look at the 2024 Oscars
Oscars 2024 live: Will 'Oppenheimer' reign supreme? Host Jimmy Kimmel kicks off big night