Who is Moo Deng? Baby pygmy hippo's name translation, memes and merchandise explained

17 September 2024, 13:47 | Updated: 17 September 2024, 13:51

By Alice Dear

Who is Moo Deng the baby pygmy hippo? Why is she famous? What does Moo Deng mean? All your questions about the mischievous animal explained.

Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippopotamus from Thailand, has become a viral internet sensation after her adorable antics in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo left people obsessed.

Whether she's biting the knees of the zoo workers or running around her paddock, it is safe to say Moo Deng - whose name has sparked many questions - is the hippo to follow.

Moo Deng has become so famous that people have been flocking to the Zoo in Thailand to get a glimpse of the hippo, sharing her memes millions of times on social media and even buying her merchandise.

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But who is Moo Deng, why is the baby pygmy hippo so famous and what does her name mean? Here's everything you need to know.

Who is Moo Deng the baby pygmy hippo and why is she famous?

Moo Deng is a baby pygmy hippopotamus from Thailand who was born on 10th July 2024 in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo to parents Jonah and Tony.

She made her first internet appearance on the Khao Kheow Open Zoo's Facebook page and since then her popularity has soared thanks to her mischievous and playful character.

Why Moo Deng has become so famous while other baby pygmy hippopotamuses haven't is a question we can't quite answer, but her antics in the zoo - including biting the zoo worker's knee caps and flashing her comical shocked face - will have had a lot to do with it.

Since Moo Deng became a viral sensation, the zoo where she lives has seen visitors double as they flock to the paddock to get a view of the famous hippo.

Moo Deng's fame has become so overwhelming that the zoo has had to limit the amount of time visitors can spend at her spot and are now even looking to release official Moo Deng merchandise.

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What does Moo Deng mean?

Moo Deng's name translated from Thai to English is 'Bouncy Pork'.

Her name was chosen through a public poll where 20,000 people voted for Moo Deng.

Moo Deng memes

Moo Deng is now the face of hundreds of memes which have been circulating on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for days now.

If you haven't been lucky enough to see them, here's some of our favourites:

Moo Deng merchandise

While the Khao Kheow Open Zoo have said they will be releasing Moo Deng merchandise, manufactures around the world are already selling t-shirts, mugs and hats with the hippos face on them.

At the moment, places such as Etsy, RedBubble and Amazon are stocking Moo Deng merchandise.