Born on July 10, 2024, Moo Deng, a Pygmy Hippo living at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, is making rounds on social media.
It all began when her photos were uploaded by the zoo to Facebook. Her antics, especially the one with her biting her caretaker as she was being showered with water, captured the hearts of many and have become viral. Fanart and memes have surfaced, even landing on the American comedy show Saturday Night Live as a skit.
BOUNCY BABY
The name Moo Deng means “bouncy pork” in Thailand. And bounce she does as she walks and runs playfully in her own small world at the zoo.
MUCH ADO ABOUT MOO DENG
The number of visitors at Khao Kheow Open Zoo has doubled because of Moo Deng’s rise to fame. However, it also brought concerning behaviors along with it – NBC News in their YouTube video titled “Baby Hippo Named Moo Becomes Viral Sensation” reported that the zoo had to install cameras to protect Moo Deng from misbehavior by zoo goers, which includes pouring water over a sleeping Moo Deng for her to move. On X, user @iioimioii wrote:
(Someone threw shells or rocks at [her], and another threw water at [her], just to make [her] move so [s]he could see [her do something]. What kind of upbringing did you have? Don’t you have any manners? Think about what you should and shouldn’t do. I feel sorry for Moo Deng. I don’t know how many times [s]he’s been bullied. #MooDeng #PygmyHippo #KhaoKheowOpenZoo)
The zoo had to install cameras to protect Moo Deng from misbehavior by zoo goers.
SUPPORT SANCTUARIES, NOT ZOOS
Although zoos can successfully breed endangered species, they also subject the animals to harmful conditions by letting the public look at animals as an “attraction”. Not only are zoo animals vulnerable to mistreatment, but they are also living in small spaces that are not their natural habitat, which can lead to zoochosis.
Breeding animals only for them to live in stone enclosures and not in nature defeats the purpose of conservation. Genuine conservation programs, such as those in sanctuaries, ensure that the well-being of animals is the focus instead of profit.
WHAT IS A PYGMY HIPPO?
According to the Pygmy Hippo Foundation, “Pygmy [H]ippos are smaller cousins of the [H]ippopotamus [who] are native to West Africa.”
There are no more than 2,000 Pygmy Hippos remaining in the wild, spread across Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and the Ivory Coast.
An adult Pygmy Hippo grows to about 70 or 80 centimeters tall, only half of the height of a common Hippopotamus, and weighs between 160 to 270 kilograms, less than ¼ of the weight of their cousin.
Despite being so much smaller than the common Hippo, they are still hefty and are similar to the size of an adult Lion.
HOW DO PYGMY HIPPOS BEHAVE IN THE WILD?
The foundation describes Pygmy Hippos as primarily nocturnal, relatively solitary, and secretive animals, which is why little is known about their behavior in the wild, not to mention the decline in their population over the last decade.
They spend most of their time in swamps to keep their skin wet and stay hydrated as they do not have true sweat glands. Their diet is composed of leaves, grasses, shoots, and fruits.
5 FACTS ABOUT PYGMY HIPPOS
RELATIVELY SOLITARY Pygmy Hippos live by themselves or in pairs.
MUCK MAKES THE PATH They wag their tails when defecating to spread muck that marks their paths in the rainforest.
HUGE GAP They are known to have deviated from common Hippos over 10 million years ago.
LONG LIFE Pygmy Hippos are said to live between 30 to 50 years old.
PROTECTIVE MOMS In nature, mother Pygmy Hippos will hide their babies in bushes while they look for food.
FOLKLORE AND PRECIOUS STONES
There exist various tales about Pygmy Hippos in West Africa. The most famous one says that they carry a diamond in their mouths at night to light a path through the forest.
THE DANGERS FACED BY A PYGMY HIPPO
There are only 2,000 remaining Pygmy Hippos in nature. Their numbers continue to dwindle as they are being threatened by factors related to humans, such as deforestation due to agricultural expansion, timber logging and illegal mining, poaching, and the animal flesh trade.
We can start helping Pygmy Hippos by keeping them and other animals off our plates, which would withdraw our support from the industries that harm Moo Deng and her species.
As issues go hand in hand, we will help other animals, other people, and the environment in the process.
We hope that one day, Moo Deng can be famous not only for her cute appearance and funny antics, but also for having overcome endangerment.
