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Time of India

Moo Deng turns one with a 'hippo' birthday bash and 100 devoted fans at Thailand zoo

Moo Deng , Thailand 's internet-famous pygmy hippo , celebrated her first birthday on Thursday at Khao Kheow Open Zoo , drawing crowds of loyal admirers determined to mark the occasion—even as her once-explosive popularity begins to wane. Still, the affection hasn't disappeared entirely. On Thursday, about 100 fans gathered to watch her plod about her pen, far fewer than the crowds at her peak but still animated by devotion. On her birthday, she munched through a lavish fruit cake sponsored by a skincare beautician who paid $3,000 for the honour. Later, zoo officials plan to auction some of her belongings, though what exactly she has accumulated in her short life remains something of a mystery. Jennifer Tang, who traveled from Malaysia and took a week off work to see Moo Deng, described her as a 'chaos rage potato.' 'She's still really sassy and funny,' Tang told AFP. 'She makes me happy.' Named 'Bouncy Pork' in Thai, Moo Deng burst onto the global stage last year as a tiny, pink-faced calf whose antics delighted millions. She amassed over five million social media followers and inspired a flood of memes, merchandise, and livestreams. Live Events A year later, she has outgrown the sprightly tumbles that first made her famous. Weighing a sturdy 93 kilograms—up from just 5 at birth—she now spends her days leisurely munching fruit and dozing in her modest stone enclosure. 'She used to be very naughty and jumped around all the time,' said her handler Attaphol Nundee told the news agency. 'Now she mostly eats and sleeps.' The fleeting power of cuteness Moo Deng's story is as much about internet culture as it is about conservation. When she first arrived, the zoo's ticket sales quadrupled, and her baby face inspired everything from piggy banks to popsicles—eventually prompting her caretakers to trademark her likeness. But as she has grown up, the frenzy has slowed. Search trends and social media metrics show her fame peaked last September before gradually declining. 'Moo Deng went viral very quickly,' said Joshua Paul Dale, a researcher at Japan's Chuo University who studies the global obsession with cute animals. 'Part of our appreciation of cuteness is knowing it doesn't last very long.' Indeed, she joins a parade of fleetingly adored animal stars, from Australia's Pesto the penguin to China's panda Hua Hua, whose fame was as swift as it was intense. A legacy beyond likes Though her viral moment may be fading, Moo Deng has helped shine a light on the endangered pygmy hippo—native to West Africa, where fewer than 2,500 survive in the wild. Her handlers say that while the public's attention may shift, Moo Deng herself hasn't lost her spark. 'Her eyes light up when people take photos,' Attaphol told AFP. And even as the internet moves on, her caretakers are realistic about the cycle of fame. 'Moo Deng won't be the most popular forever,' Attaphol admitted. 'One day, there will be a new generation of Moo Deng.'