Everything you need to know about Moo Deng, the iconic screaming baby hippo
Moo Deng baby hippo memes and photos have become the latest adorable animal craze to barrel through social media feeds. The tiny pygmy hippo has the chaotic nature of Brat Summer but can also be incredibly cute with her beady little eyes and a mouth that never seems to close, as it must scream.
People have recreated certain blurry photos of Moo Deng in fan art across many different styles. The deranged look on her face, especially in the one where someone is spraying her with water, is also fairly relatable in these times, making it ideal for memes.
Who is Moo Deng the baby hippo?
Moo Deng is a baby pygmy hippo born in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand on July 10, 2024. Due to her reportedly playful and energetic nature, zoo staff began posting photos of her to their Facebook page and the baby went viral as fast as any fur-covered favorite.
Zoo patrons chose her name via a public poll, selecting the title of a popular Thai dish that translates to “bouncy pork.” It doesn’t get any better than this.
In no time, merchandise covered in her tiny form appeared online. Cosmetics company Sephora created an ad encouraging customers to "wear your blush like a baby hippo."
Moo Deng becomes a meme
Nothing captures the hearts of the internet quite like a chaotic baby animal. Typically, hippos fall into the category of either terrifying (being the most deadly animal on Earth to humans) or vaguely cute in an ugly sort of way. The babies, however, can be quite squishy and aww-inspiring with their little fat folds and the ears and toothless mouths.
Moo Deng memes spread at record speed, particularly in the form of fan art. From Facebook, her image now graces just about every social media platform, and interest shows no signs of slowing down. It’s already reached the point that the memes are beginning to reflect the sheer volume of content around her.
Her popularity after only a couple of months alive has become intense to the point of causing concern.
Zoo visitors have been accused of inappropriate behavior
According to reports, Moo Deng's popularity doubled the Khao Kheow Open Zoo's traffic in the weeks after she made her social media debut. While the added revenue is great for the zoo itself, some of the visitors are not behaving themselves.
Moo Deng fans desperate for her attention have allegedly thrown objects like shells and bananas, or splashed water at her while she's trying to sleep. As a tiny baby, the hippo needs a lot of sleep, leaving many zoo patrons disappointed.
Worse than disappointment, however, is the potential harm that could be caused to Moo Deng by sharp shells, inappropriate foods, or a lack of rest. The zoo is now under some pressure to increase security measures or enact stricter rules to protect the baby.
"These behaviours are not only cruel but also dangerous," said zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi. "We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment."
Moo Deng baby hippo meme examples
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