Thai zoo implements time limit to visit viral hippo Moo Deng
Visitors hoping to see a pygmy hippopotamus will have a maximum of five minutes to do so, the Thai zoo where she lives announced Saturday.
Moo Deng, who was born on July 10, 2024, to parents Tony and Jona, has become a bona fide viral sensation after images of her reacting strongly to a bath were shared earlier this month on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Since then, the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in the province of Chonburi has experienced a massive influx of visitors as people seek to get a glimpse of the baby hippo.
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Traffic to the zoo was backed up by two hours on Saturday as an estimated 12,000 people came to the zoo to see Moo Deng, the Bangkok Post reported.
To better manage crowds, the Khao Kheow Open Zoo is limiting groups to 50 people and allowing them five minutes to view Moo Deng and the other pygmy hippopotamuses at the zoo.
The zoo will also be launching a 24-hour live stream of Moo Deng, said the Bangkok Post, and will be selling Moo Deng-inspired merchandise to raise funds to improve the zoo.
Moo Deng's popularity, however, has also resulted in zoo patrons behaving poorly. Videos posted online show some zoo patrons throwing things at or attempting to splash the baby hippo to get her attention.
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Zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi condemned these behaviors in an online statement, saying they are "not only cruel, but also dangerous."
"We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment," said Narongwit.
Additionally, the zoo has installed security cameras to better protect Moo Deng and the other pygmy hippopotamuses in the enclosure, reported the BBC.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Khao Kheow Open Zoo for additional comment about Moo Deng's popularity.
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Online, particularly on X and TikTok, users have expressed their adoration of Moo Deng, and her expressive face has been used as reaction memes.
"Moo Deng is a lifestyle icon and i need all of yall to get onboard," wrote one X user, noting that she is "inexplicably moist at all times," "slightly blurry in most photos," "probably screaming or sleeping," and "round."
"I would kill and die to protect Moo Deng, KILL AND DIE," said another X user.
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Moo Deng, whose name translates to "Bouncy Pig" or "Bouncy Pork," is a pygmy hippopotamus, an endangered species.
Pygmy hippopotamuses are found in West Africa, mainly Liberia, says the website for the Pygmy Hippo Foundation. There are about 2,000 pygmy hippos remaining in the wild.
The pygmy hippopotamus is about half as tall as a standard hippopotamus, and weighs about a quarter as much. They grow to a height of approximately 2.5 feet tall, said the Pygmy Hippo Foundation.