According to AP, just one month after photos and videos of baby hippo Moo Deng at Khao Kheow Zoo were posted on Facebook, this adorable animal has become famous both in Thailand and globally.
Zookeeper Atthapon Nunde used to film adorable moments of the animals at Khao Kheow, including Moo Deng, and post them on Facebook. He never thought that Moo Deng would become a superstar in just a few weeks.
Since Moo Deng became famous, people often queued up before opening time at Khao Kheow Zoo. The place where Moo Deng lives with his mother is always crowded with people standing outside, cheering and cheering when he performs funny actions.
Atthapon couldn't help but be delighted when he saw this scene. "It exceeded my expectations. I want more people to know and visit Moo Deng. I want to see interesting comments from online viewers. I really never expected this," Atthapon said.
The baby hippo is now about 2 months old. The name Moo Deng was chosen by fans through a social media vote, inspired by the name of a Thai pork meatball dish.
Moo Deng's funny and adorable moments were captured and widely used by the online community to create humorous and fun photos.
Bayern Munich also used Moo Deng's image and posted it on their social media account X. The post received more than 300,000 views and more than 7,000 likes.
Khao Kheow Zoo's Facebook page is updated daily with photos and short videos of baby hippo Moo Deng. Each post receives a lot of interaction from Thai people and the international community.
Khao Kheow Zoo is running many breeding programs for endangered species, including Moo Deng - a pygmy hippopotamus native to West Africa, of which there are only about 2,000 individuals left in the wild. In addition, Khao Kheow is home to more than 2,000 animals, covering an area of over 800 hectares.
Zookeepers have produced a range of Moo Deng-related merchandise including T-shirts and pants, which will be available for sale later this month. Proceeds will be used to help improve the zoo and support conservation programs.
