Baby hippo star Moo-Deng goes viral on TikTok

THAILAND (TND) — A baby pygmy hippopotamus, just two months old, has gone viral on the Internet via a TikTok account with 2.5 million followers.

The hippopotamus named Moo-Deng is a resident of the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, Thailand.

Their zookeeper, Atthapon Nundee, has posted clips of various animals at the zoo on social media.

Nundee started posting on TikTok during the pandemic and quickly built a large following with the cute animal videos, especially Moo-Deng.

Nundee not only attracted a large online audience, but also attracted fans to visit the zoo.

The zoo has installed a camera to keep a close eye on her, as eager visitors have been throwing water and other objects into her enclosure to wake her up.

Moo-Deng has built a large fan base and is known for wandering around her enclosure and interacting with her keeper.

“From the moment I saw Moo-Deng born, I set myself the goal of making her famous,” he said.

Thai companies even started posting about Moo-Deng. For example, Sephora Thailand released a campaign on the theme of “Blush like a baby hippo” – inspired by Moo-Deng and her viral fame.

This baby hippo's name, Moo-Deng, means “springy pork,” and he's not the only animal nicknamed “pork.” His siblings are also named after popular Thai pork dishes.

Pygmy hippos are native to West Africa and are currently considered an endangered species, according to the San Diego Zoo.