LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo in Thailand, has become an internet sensation with her enchanting nature and playful charm. Her story provides a glimpse into the life of a hippo and spreads awareness about her species.

Who is Moo Deng?

Moo Deng, Thailand’s pygmy hippopotamus, is going viral for her bubbly personality and impact on the animal world. Moo Deng was born this July, at Khao Kheow Zoo in Chonburi. With her growing popularity, the zoo found itself dealing with a 233% attendance increase, all full of people hoping to see the baby pygmy hippo.

One may find themselves wondering why Moo Deng became an overnight star, and how this viral sensation is impacting brands, social media and hippos in general. 

What is behind Moo Deng’s sudden popularity? 

Zookeeper Atthapon Nundee is responsible for Moo Deng’s growing social media presence. He started posting her from the early stages of her life, with the hope of gaining a fanbase. Before Moo Deng was even born, Nundee posted a poll to decide her name to increase the anticipation for her birth. Moo Deng, with the name translating to “Bouncy Pork,” won without a doubt.

Nundee would frequently post clips of other animals in his care, but when he began to upload Moo Deng, the zoo’s social media accounts quickly blew up. On TikTok, the account has over 3 million followers and 112 million likes. On Instagram, the account has surpassed 400,000 followers. 

“Moo Deng is adorable and a great and powerful social media icon!” said Los Alamitos High School sophomore and Moo Deng fanatic Shraddha Kode.

How are social media users benefiting from Moo Deng’s fame?

From Moo Deng’s noticeable popularity surge on social media, users are taking footage and pictures of Moo Deng to repost, share and change or edit to post on their pages. Some users are using talents they have to gain likes and followers on their page. One common occurrence of this is social media artists drawing Moo Deng in fun and expressive ways.

User @meetbolz on Instagram is known for animal drawings on the platform and has gained 150,000 likes with Moo Deng-related content. Many other talented users may make animations, prints, crochet patterns, tattoos or memes all regarding Moo Deng. Some fans, like @immoodeng, even create whole accounts dedicated to reposting or talking about the pygmy hippo.

How are businesses capitalizing from the popularity?

Many small businesses on platforms such as Etsy are creating Moo Deng-themed products to sell in their shops. Items such as shirts, hoodies, mugs, bumper stickers, ornaments, plushies, stickers and phone cases are all examples of the most popular Moo Deng merch right now. Major sports teams are also using Moo Deng to provide more exposure to their accounts by editing photos of her with their team merch, or a caption that relates to their sport.

Additionally, makeup influencers are promoting products that they claim to give the “Moo Deng glow.” The idea of the baby hippo’s glow has led to a makeup trend with an attempt to get the same glossy lips and rosy cheeks as Moo Deng.

How is Moo Deng’s adoration beneficial to her species?

Moo Deng is a pygmy hippo, and this particular species is different from the more well-known hippo because of the difference in size and weight. Pygmy hippos are smaller and tend to live in more isolated areas.

Unfortunately, the species is endangered, and there are only 2,000 pygmy hippos in the wild. Moo Deng’s home, Khao Kheow Zoo, plans to market and sell merchandise to gain funds to assist conservation efforts and breeding initiatives to lessen the risk of the species going extinct. 

“I hope that the cuteness of Moo Deng will raise awareness for people to come and learn about [the species],” said Nundee in an interview regarding Moo Deng’s fame with The Guardian.