A chick named Moo Deng has become the attraction of a Thai zoo. Huge popularity has also had its downside.
The newest star of a Thai zoo, the dwarf hippo Moo Deng, has quickly become an internet sensation and is now charming people around the world.
Moo Deng, whose name means bouncing pig, was born at Khao Kheow Zoo in July. The zoo began sharing videos of the cub’s play on its social media channels, and they have since garnered millions of views.
The adorable Moo Deng has become the attraction of the zoo. Zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi tells for APthat the number of visitors to the shelter has multiplied since Moo Deng’s popularity.
Pictures of the chick have also inspired huge amounts of fan art and memes. For example, several sports clubs have been sharing memes on their social media channels.
Cosmetics giant Sephora, on the other hand, has used an animal in its marketing. The zoo says it is applying for a trademark for the chick to prevent other operators from commercializing Moo Deng.
The zoo has published a lot of video and picture material about Moo Deng on our social media:
People splashed things
Huge popularity has also had its downside. According to the zoo, people have thrown objects and splashed water on Moo Deng to wake the animal up.
The cub’s treatment has been so brutal that the zoo has had to set restrictions due to inappropriate behavior by visitors. Moo Deng can now only be seen on weekends for five minutes.
In addition, the director of the zoo, Narongwit Chodchoi, has threatened people who mistreat the cub with legal action.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the pygmy hippopotamus as an endangered species. It is estimated that there are less than 3,000 dwarf hippos left.