Happy first birthday to Moo Deng, the viral pygmy hippo
It's a major milestone for Moo Deng, the tiny hippo with an oversized personality who nearly broke the internet last summer.
On Thursday, the pygmy hippopotamus marked her first birthday at her zoo in Chon Buri, Thailand.
Moo Deng became a viral sensation soon after her zookeepers introduced her on social media last year, inspiring lots of memes, fan art and TikTok clips.
Some of her TikTok videos have millions upon millions of views.
And what's a birthday without a party?
The Khao Kheow Open Zoo is throwing her a four-day-long celebration.
Events include a hippo-sized fruit platter for her and her mother to snack on, a photo exhibition, a charity auction of Moo Deng items and even a parade.
According to the zoo's director, about 12,000 fans flocked to the zoo by Thursday afternoon, the opening day of the celebrations, to join the party.
Moon Deng's impact
Moo Deng's caretaker, Atthapon Nundee, says that the attention on the hippo has brought more visitors to the zoo. The extra revenue has allowed the zoo to make improvements.
'Moo Deng has made more people know about the zoo and they travel here,' he said.
But there have also been some downsides to the influx of new guests.
Back in September 2024, shortly after Moo Deng was introduced to the public, some visitors were too excited to see the hippo.
Some would splash water on her, or throw objects, trying to get her attention.
That seemed to be a distant memory on Thursday as Moo Deng dug into her birthday feast.
Crunch! Munch! Moo Deng, right, has a delicious taste of her 'birthday cake' — a fruit platter — with her mom, Jona, left. (Image credit: Chalinee Thirasupa/Reuters)
The hippo and her mother, 26-year-old Jona, were served a 20-kilogram birthday cake of sorts — a fruit platter — that was so big, three zookeepers had to carry it into their enclosure.
The zoo has auctioned off some of Moo Deng's collectables, like a clay cast of her footprints and the blue, plastic bathtub she used as a baby.
It said proceeds from the auction will be used to support other animals.
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