CHONBURI, Thailand. Thousands of fans gathered at Khao Kheow Open Zoo on Thursday to celebrate the first birthday of Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippopotamus who has become a social media star.
The zoo, located about two hours from Bangkok, launched a four-day celebration in honor of Moo Deng, drawing over 12,000 visitors on the first day alone, according to zoo director Narongwit Chodchoy. Children under 12 were given free admission to join the festivities.
Moo Deng’s fans came from near and far, including Molly Swindall, who flew from New York just to see the hippo. “I just loved her so much,” Swindall said. “I had three or four days off work, so I flew to Thailand. I’ll only be here for about 30 hours, but that’s enough to go see Moo Deng.”
The celebration included birthday songs and a special cake made from fruits and vegetables, which Moo Deng shared with her mother, Jona. Despite the crowd calling out to her, the young hippo appeared calm, cooling off in a pond inside her enclosure.
Moo Deng gained widespread popularity shortly after her birth, thanks to her keeper, Atthapon Nundee, who regularly shares playful and endearing content of her on social media. His posts, showing Moo Deng squirming during bath time, gently biting in play, or relaxing with her eyes closed, quickly captured hearts online.
The hippo’s name, which means “bouncy pork” in Thai, was chosen by fans in an online poll. Her siblings are similarly named Moo Toon (stewed pork) and Moo Waan (sweet pork), while another adult hippo at the zoo is called Kha Moo (stewed pork leg).
The zoo, which spans about 800 hectares and houses over 2,000 animals, saw a surge in visitors after Moo Deng’s birth. However, Narongwit noted a decline in recent months, with weekday attendance averaging around 2,000 and weekend numbers at about 5,000 — roughly half of what the zoo saw at the peak of Moo Deng’s fame.
Still, the young hippo’s birthday celebration proves she remains a beloved attraction, drawing fans from around the world eager to see her in person.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
