Moo Deng Turns One: Thailand’s Viral Hippo Faces the Inevitable Decline of Internet Fame
A four-day festival kicked off Thursday at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand to celebrate the first birthday of Moo Deng, the pygmy hippopotamus who captivated the internet with her playful antics. While crowds gathered to honor the “Bouncy Pork” – as her name translates in Thai – the event also marks a turning point as the animal transitions from a viral sensation to a maturing member of an endangered species.
Moo Deng’s rise to fame was meteoric. The calf amassed a staggering five million social media followers after her birth, quadrupling ticket sales at the zoo and even prompting a 24/7 livestream of her enclosure to satisfy the global appetite for her charm. The first day of the birthday festivities, coinciding with a Thai public holiday, featured a lecture dedicated to “Moo Deng’s cheekiness” and a fruit-covered birthday cake sponsored by a skincare beautician.
Despite a slightly smaller turnout than during the peak of her popularity, around 100 devoted fans congregated outside her enclosure on Thursday. One attendee, Jennifer Tang, traveled from Malaysia for the occasion, describing Moo Deng as a “chaos rage potato” and admitting to being “a little bit obsessed.” “She’s really special to me, she makes me happy,” Tang told AFP, adding that Moo Deng remains “still really sassy and funny” despite her growth.
The young hippo has significantly increased in size, growing from a mere 5kg at birth to 93kg today. However, her behavior has shifted. According to Attaphol Nundee, one of her six handlers, Moo Deng has traded her energetic, clumsy playfulness for a more sedentary lifestyle. “Moo Deng used to be very naughty and jumped around all the time,” Nundee explained. “Now she only eats and sleeps.”
Zoo officials acknowledge a decline in Moo Deng’s viral status. “Her popularity has slowed,” Nundee conceded, “But some old fans have returned, and there are new ones too.” He noted that Moo Deng still responds positively to attention, with “her eyes light up when people take photos of her.” The zoo plans to auction off her belongings, though the extent of her accumulated possessions remains unclear.
The story of Moo Deng highlights the fleeting nature of internet fame, a phenomenon explored by Joshua Paul Dale, an academic at Japan’s Chuo University. “Maybe part of our appreciation of cuteness is knowing that it’s something that doesn’t last very long,” Dale told AFP. Moo Deng joins a growing list of animals – including Australia’s Pesto the penguin and China’s Hua Hua the panda – who have experienced brief but intense periods of online adoration.
Beyond the viral trends, there was hope that Moo Deng’s stardom would draw attention to the plight of the pygmy hippopotamus, a species native to West Africa and currently numbering around 2,500 individuals according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. However, data indicates that Moo Deng’s peak popularity occurred around late September of last year, followed by a significant decline in social media engagement and search interest.
Despite the waning spotlight, Moo Deng’s story serves as a reminder of the power of animal charisma and the enduring appeal of cuteness, even as it fades. With a lifespan of 30 to 50 years, Moo Deng has a long life ahead of her, and her continued well-being remains the zoo’s primary focus.
