In September 2024, videos of a baby pygmy hippopotamus named ‘Moo Deng’ started going viral all across the internet- but just who is this sensation? Moo Deng was born on July 10, 2024, in the Khao Kheow Zoo in Thailand, and is currently living in an enclosure with her mother and two sisters. After her birth, the zoo held a poll to choose a name for the new hippo. Among the top choices were ‘Moo Toon’ meaning ‘stewed pork’, ‘Moo Waan’ meaning ‘sweet pork’, and the eventual victor ‘Moo Deng,’ meaning ‘bouncy pork.’ Moo Deng is now known for her expressive face, blurry photos, and unquenchable urge to bite her zookeepers despite having no teeth.
Moo Deng smiling for the camera
Trends often come in groups as seen with ‘Barbenheimer’ in 2023 or the current ‘brat’ versus ‘demure’ trend for example, so Moo Deng’s trend status was only amplified when she was paired with Pesto, a giant king penguin chick in Australia who also went viral on social media. The “she’s so me” reactions to Moo Deng shot through the roof as social media users resonated with Moo Deng more than her counterpart Pesto the penguin. Since Moo Deng’s fame, the Khao Kheow Zoo’s weekday visitors have increased fivefold and their weekend visitors have more than tripled. Currently, Moo Deng has been described as “the people’s princess” and “all we’ve got,” and remains a beacon of light amidst all of the upsetting news on social media. Only time can tell what new heights Moo Deng will reach, all that can be guaranteed is that she will have loyal followers the whole way.