Latest news with #BouncyPork
The Star
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Hippo birthday, Moo Deng!
One year of cuteness: Moo Deng eating her birthday cake made of fruits and vegetables at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province. — AP THE country's pygmy hippo Moo Deng marked her first birthday, drawing crowds of diehard fans even as she left behind the cute animal infancy that earned her worldwide Internet fame. Big crowds were expected at a four-day festival starting yesterday at Khao Kheow Open Zoo where Moo Deng – meaning 'Bouncy Pork' in Thai – frolicked to stardom and amassed five million social media followers. The first day of the extravaganza fell on a Thai public holiday with an agenda including a lecture on 'Moo Deng's cheekiness', while a skincare beautician paid US$3,000 (RM12,745) to sponsor her 'birthday cake' made of an edible plant arrangement. A small crowd of fans gathered outside her enclosure yesterday morning – fewer than the hordes she commanded at the height of her fame, but still animated with adoration. Visitor Jennifer Tang took a week off her work in Malaysia to make the trip, saying she was 'a little bit obsessed' with the calf she described as a 'chaos rage potato'. 'She's really special to me, she makes me happy,' she said. Tang insisted that Moo Deng is 'still really sassy and funny' despite approaching maturity. 'Take a look at the crowd today, she's still a legend,' she added. Moo Deng has swollen from 5kg at birth to 93kg today. Adoring fans: Visitors taking a photo with a Moo Deng mascot at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo. — AFP She spent her birthday plodding in her enclosure and submerged in a pond – a stark contrast to her energetic yet clumsy antics as a pint-sized pachyderm. 'Moo Deng used to be very naughty and jumped around all the time. Now, she only eats and sleeps,' said Attaphol Nundee, one of her six handlers. 'Her popularity has slowed,' admitted the 32-year-old. 'But some old fans have returned, and there are new ones, too.' Despite her waning fame, 'her eyes light up when people take photos of her', he said. Moo Deng took only a few demure bites of her birthday cake made of watermelon, corn, dragon fruit and tomato before her mother Joana devoured it almost in its entirety. 'She was kind of hesitant at first with the cake, so I was like, 'Oh my gosh, come on diva!'' said Molly Swindall, a TikTok influencer from the United States. Hundreds of spectators queued for their allotted five-minute audience with Moo Deng at the Chonburi province zoo, a two-hour drive from Bangkok. One fan took home Moo Deng's bathtub, which was auctioned off for around US$3,000 (RM12,700) to raise funds for the zoo. Moo Deng's blubbery rose-blushed face launched a thousand memes and a plethora of merchandise, including piggy banks, party shirts and popsicles – prompting her owners to trademark her likeness. At one point, her popularity quadrupled ticket sales for the zoo where she resides in a sparse, stone, five square metre public enclosure, once livestreamed 24/7. There were hopes that her stardom would spotlight the plight of the endangered pygmy hippo, native to West Africa with only around 2,500 left alive according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. But social media and search engine metrics suggest Moo Deng's popularity peaked around late September last year before dramatically declining. 'Moo Deng went viral very quickly when she was born,' said Joshua Paul Dale, an academic who teaches courses on the phenomenon of 'cuteness' at Japan's Chuo University. 'Maybe part of our appreciation of cuteness is knowing that it's something that doesn't last very long.' Moo Deng is part of a pantheon of captive animals who have enjoyed flash-in-the-pan popularity online, including Australia's Pesto the penguin and China's Hua Hua the panda. Pygmy hippos typically have a lifespan of between 30 and 50 years. — AFP
Kuwait Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Kuwait Times
Hippo birthday: Thai internet sensation Moo Deng turns one
CHONBURI: Thailand's pygmy hippo Moo Deng marked her first birthday on Thursday, drawing crowds of diehard fans even as she left behind the cute animal infancy that earned her worldwide internet fame. Big crowds are expected at a four-day festival at Khao Kheow Open Zoo where Moo Deng—meaning 'Bouncy Pork' in Thai—frolicked to stardom and amassed five million social media followers. The first day of the extravaganza fell on a Thai public holiday with an agenda including a lecture on 'Moo Deng's cheekiness', while a skincare beautician paid $3,000 to sponsor her 'birthday cake' made of an edible plant arrangement. A small crowd of fans gathered outside her enclosure on Thursday morning—fewer than the hordes she commanded at the height of her fame, but still animated with adoration. Visitor Jennifer Tang took a week off her work in Malaysia to make the pilgrimage, telling AFP she was 'a little bit obsessed' with the calf she described as a 'chaos rage potato'. 'She's really special to me, she makes me happy,' she said. Tang insisted Moo Deng is 'still really sassy and funny' despite approaching maturity. 'Take a look at the crowd today—she's still a legend,' she told AFP. Moo Deng has swollen from five kilograms (11 pounds) at birth to 93 kilograms today. She spent her birthday plodding in her enclosure and submerged in a pond—a stark contrast to her energetic yet clumsy antics as a pint-sized pachyderm. 'Moo Deng used to be very naughty and jumped around all the time,' said Attaphol Nundee, one of her six handlers. 'Now, she only eats and sleeps.' 'Her popularity has slowed,' admitted the 32-year-old. 'But some old fans have returned, and there are new ones too.' Despite her waning fame, 'her eyes light up when people take photos of her', he said. Moo Deng took only a few demure bites of her 'birthday cake' made of watermelon, corn, dragon fruit and tomato before her mother Joana devoured it almost in its entirety.—AFP 'She was kind of hesitant at first with the cake, so I was like, 'Oh my gosh, come on diva!',' said Molly Swindall, a TikTok influencer from the United States. Hundreds of spectators queued for their allotted five-minute audience with Moo Deng at the Chonburi province zoo, a two-hour drive from Bangkok. One eager fan took home Moo Deng's bathtub, which was auctioned off for around $3,000 to raise funds for the zoo. 'Cute doesn't last long' Moo Deng's blubbery rose-blushed face launched a thousand memes and a plethora of merchandise, including piggy banks, party shirts and popsicles—prompting her owners to trademark her likeness. At one point, her popularity quadrupled ticket sales for the zoo where she resides in a sparse, stone, five square meter (54 square feet) public enclosure, once livestreamed 24/7. There were hopes her stardom would spotlight the plight of the endangered pygmy hippo, native to West Africa with only around 2,500 left alive according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. But social media and search engine metrics suggest Moo Deng's popularity peaked around late September before dramatically declining. 'Moo Deng went viral very quickly when she was born,' said Joshua Paul Dale, an academic who teaches courses on the phenomenon of 'cuteness' at Japan's Chuo University. 'Maybe part of our appreciation of cuteness is knowing that it's something that doesn't last very long,' he told AFP. Moo Deng is part of a pantheon of captive animals who have enjoyed flash-in-the-pan popularity online, including Australia's Pesto the penguin and China's Hua Hua the panda. Pygmy hippos have a lifespan of between 30 and 50 years. 'Moo Deng won't be the most popular forever,' admitted her handler Attaphol. 'One day there will be a new generation of Moo Deng.'—AFP
NDTV
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Hippo Birthday: Thai Zoo's Celebrity Moo Deng Turns 1, Celebrates With Fans
Thailand's pygmy hippo Moo Deng marked her first birthday on Thursday, drawing crowds of diehard fans even as she left behind the cute animal infancy that earned her worldwide internet fame. Big crowds are expected at a four-day festival at Khao Kheow Open Zoo where Moo Deng -- meaning "Bouncy Pork" in Thai -- frolicked to stardom and amassed five million social media followers. The first day of the extravaganza fell on a Thai public holiday with an agenda including a lecture on "Moo Deng's cheekiness", while a skincare beautician paid $3,000 to sponsor her "birthday cake" made of an edible plant arrangement. A small crowd of fans gathered outside her enclosure on Thursday morning -- fewer than the hordes she commanded at the height of her fame, but still animated with adoration. Visitor Jennifer Tang took a week off her work in Malaysia to make the pilgrimage, telling AFP she was "a little bit obsessed" with the calf she described as a "chaos rage potato". "She's really special to me, she makes me happy," she said. Tang insisted Moo Deng is "still really sassy and funny" despite approaching maturity. "Take a look at the crowd today -- she's still a legend," she told AFP. 'Sassy diva' Moo Deng has swollen from five kilograms (11 pounds) at birth to 93 kilograms today. She spent her birthday plodding in her enclosure and submerged in a pond -- a stark contrast to her energetic yet clumsy antics as a pint-sized pachyderm. "Moo Deng used to be very naughty and jumped around all the time," said Attaphol Nundee, one of her six handlers. "Now, she only eats and sleeps." "Her popularity has slowed," admitted the 32-year-old. "But some old fans have returned, and there are new ones too." Despite her waning fame, "her eyes light up when people take photos of her", he said. Moo Deng took only a few demure bites of her "birthday cake" made of watermelon, corn, dragon fruit and tomato before her mother Joana devoured it almost in its entirety. "She was kind of hesitant at first with the cake, so I was like, 'Oh my gosh, come on diva!'," said Molly Swindall, a TikTok influencer from the United States. Hundreds of spectators queued for their allotted five-minute audience with Moo Deng at the Chonburi province zoo, a two-hour drive from Bangkok. One eager fan took home Moo Deng's bathtub, which was auctioned off for around $3,000 to raise funds for the zoo. 'Cute doesn't last long' Moo Deng's blubbery rose-blushed face launched a thousand memes and a plethora of merchandise, including piggy banks, party shirts and popsicles -- prompting her owners to trademark her likeness. At one point, her popularity quadrupled ticket sales for the zoo where she resides in a sparse, stone, five square metre (54 square feet) public enclosure, once livestreamed 24/7. There were hopes her stardom would spotlight the plight of the endangered pygmy hippo, native to West Africa with only around 2,500 left alive according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. But social media and search engine metrics suggest Moo Deng's popularity peaked around late September before dramatically declining. "Moo Deng went viral very quickly when she was born," said Joshua Paul Dale, an academic who teaches courses on the phenomenon of "cuteness" at Japan's Chuo University. "Maybe part of our appreciation of cuteness is knowing that it's something that doesn't last very long," he told AFP. Moo Deng is part of a pantheon of captive animals who have enjoyed flash-in-the-pan popularity online, including Australia's Pesto the penguin and China's Hua Hua the panda. Pygmy hippos have a lifespan of between 30 and 50 years. "Moo Deng won't be the most popular forever," admitted her handler Attaphol. "One day there will be a new generation of Moo Deng."
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Thailand's pygmy hippo Moo Deng celebrates first birthday amid fading internet fame
Moo Deng, Thailand's internet-famous pygmy hippo, marked her first birthday on July 10, 2025, drawing loyal fans despite her fading online fame. A four-day celebration is underway at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, where Moo Deng first captured global attention with her playful behavior and chubby appearance. First birthday of Thailand's pygmy hippo Moo Deng celebrated with four-day festivalhttps:// — AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 10, 2025 The young hippo, whose name translates to 'Bouncy Pork' in Thai, skyrocketed to fame last year and amassed over five million social media followers. Born at just 5kg, she now weighs 93kg and resides in a public enclosure that was once livestreamed around the clock to feed the internet's fascination. Celebrations for her birthday included a $3,000 fruit-covered cake sponsored by a skincare brand and a themed lecture titled 'Moo Deng's cheekiness.' Among those in attendance was Malaysian fan Jennifer Tang, who took a week off work to visit the zoo. She described Moo Deng as a 'chaos rage potato' and added, 'She's really special to me, she makes me happy.' Tang insisted the hippo remains 'sassy and funny' despite becoming more reserved with age. Moo Deng's handlers noted the shift in her behavior as she matures. 'She used to be very naughty and jumped around all the time,' said handler Attaphol Nundee. 'Now she only eats and sleeps.' While they admit her popularity has slowed, fans—both old and new—still flock to see her. As Moo Deng's playful days fade, experts suggest her waning popularity may reflect broader trends in internet virality. 'Maybe part of our appreciation of cuteness is knowing that it doesn't last very long,' said Joshua Paul Dale, a professor at Chuo University in Japan. Though her fame may have peaked, Moo Deng remains an iconic figure of online animal stardom. Handlers have hinted that some of her belongings may soon be auctioned.
Int'l Business Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Int'l Business Times
Hippo Birthday: Thai Internet Sensation Moo Deng Is A Year Old
Thailand's pygmy hippo Moo Deng marked her first birthday on Thursday, drawing crowds of diehard fans even as she left behind the cute animal infancy that earned her worldwide internet fame. Big crowds are expected at a four-day festival at Khao Kheow Open Zoo where Moo Deng -- meaning "Bouncy Pork" in Thai -- frolicked to stardom and amassed five million social media followers. The first day of the extravaganza fell on a Thai public holiday with an agenda including a lecture on "Moo Deng's cheekiness", while a skincare beautician paid $3,000 to sponsor her fruit-festooned birthday cake. Around 100 fans gathered outside her enclosure on Thursday morning -- fewer than the hordes she commanded at the height of her fame, but still animated with adoration. Jennifer Tang took a week off her work in Malaysia to make the pilgrimage, telling AFP she was "a little bit obsessed" with the calf she described as a "chaos rage potato". "She's really special to me, she makes me happy," she said. Tang insisted Moo Deng is "still really sassy and funny" despite approaching maturity. "Take a look at the crowd today -- she's still a legend," she told AFP. Moo Deng has swollen from five kilograms (11 pounds) at birth to 93 kilograms today. She spent her birthday plodding in her enclosure, munching fruit and vegetables -- a stark contrast to the energetic yet clumsy antics that earned her fame as a pint-sized pachyderm. "Moo Deng used to be very naughty and jumped around all the time," said Attaphol Nundee, one of her six handlers. "Now she only eats and sleeps." "Her popularity has slowed," admitted the 32-year-old. "But some old fans have returned, and there are new ones too." Despite her waning fame "her eyes light up when people take photos of her", he said. Her handlers are set later to auction her belongings, but it is unclear what possessions she has accumulated in her short life at the Chonburi province zoo, a two-hour drive from Bangkok. Moo Deng's blubbery rose-blushed face launched a thousand memes and a plethora of merchandise including piggy banks, party shirts and popsicles -- prompting her owners to trademark her likeness. She once quadrupled ticket sales for the zoo where she resides in a sparse, stone, five square metre (54 square feet) public enclosure, once livestreamed 24/7 to sate the internet's appetite for her. There were hopes her stardom would spotlight the plight of the endangered pygmy hippo, native to West Africa with only around 2,500 left alive according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature But social media and search engine metrics suggest Moo Deng's popularity peaked around late September last year before dramatically declining. "Moo Deng went viral very quickly when she was born," said Joshua Paul Dale, an academic who teaches courses on the phenomenon of "cuteness" at Japan's Chuo University. "Maybe part of our appreciation of cuteness is knowing that it's something that doesn't last very long," he told AFP. Moo Deng is part of a pantheon of captive animals who have enjoyed flash-in-the-pan popularity for their cuteness online, including Australia's Pesto the penguin and China's Hua Hua the panda. Pygmy hippos have a lifespan of between 30 and 50 years. "Moo Deng won't be the most popular forever," admitted her handler Attaphol. "One day there will be a new generation of Moo Deng."
