Famous pygmy hippo baby Moo Deng worries Thailand zoo

Her toothless chewing is already an internet hit, and now Moo Deng the pygmy hippo is the star of cosmetics advertisements and is quickly becoming a brand ambassador for Thailand.

However, the two-month-old's meteoric rise to online stardom has also prompted keepers to urge visitors to exercise restraint and limit their visiting hours at Khao Kheow Open Zoo.

Moo Deng, also known as the “jumping pig,” was named after a vote by more than 20,000 children and tourists on the Facebook page of the zoo in Chonburi, a city in eastern Thailand where she was born in July.

The hippo has become an internet sensation since his keepers started uploading videos of his daily routine, which mainly consists of napping, running around his enclosure and chewing on his keepers' knees while he is being hosed down.

And like any other celebrity, Moo Deng has dozens of fan pages on social media with pictures and videos capturing her every moment in the public eye.

The Thai Embassy in Tokyo also published pictures of Moo Deng on X, inviting visitors to the zoo in Japanese.

Cosmetics brand Sephora is promoting its blush products in Thailand to achieve the same “pink and peachy tone” as Moo Deng's cheeks. A bakery in Bangkok said on Facebook on Sunday that it had to limit orders for its Moo Deng-like cakes due to high demand.

Moo Deng is also the main character of an endless stream of internet memes and fan art.

A video on TikTok showing Moo Deng's keeper playing with the hippo has been viewed more than 33 million times and received more than 2 million likes. “The baby hippo looks like it just hatched,” reads one comment.

Other videos of Moo Deng on the TikTok account also have millions of views. Another 29-second video posted on X The video showing Moo Deng munching on her daily vegetables has been viewed more than 15 million times.

But her keepers are increasingly concerned about her safety after some fans threw water and other objects at Moo Deng. The zoo director threatened legal action.

Officials said Sunday that visits to the hippo at the zoo would be limited to Saturday and Sunday, and each visit would be capped at five minutes.

“This behavior is not only cruel but also dangerous,” zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi was quoted as saying by local media. “We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment,” he said.

Pygmy hippos are considered an endangered species because their numbers are declining due to poaching; according to the Pygmy Hippo Foundation, there are only 2,000 of them left in the wild.

An adult pygmy hippopotamus can live up to 50 years and be half the size of an adult hippopotamus. In the wild, they feed mainly on grass, leaves, shoots and fallen fruit.