AFP, BANGKOK
An endangered baby pygmy hippopotamus that shot to social media stardom in Thailand has become a lucrative source of income for her home zoo, quadrupling its ticket sales, the institution said Thursday.
Moo Deng, whose name in Thai means “bouncy pork,” has drawn tens of thousands of visitors to Khao Kheow Open Zoo this month.
The two-month-old pygmy hippo went viral on TikTok and Instagram for her cheeky antics, inspiring merchandise, memes and even craft tutorials on how to make crocheted or cake-based Moo Dengs at home.
Visitors take pictures of viral two-month-old female pygmy hippopotamus Moo Deng, right, and her mother, Jona, at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi Province, Thailand, on Thursday.
Photo: EPA-EFE
A zoo spokesperson said that ticket sales from the start of September to Wednesday reached almost 19.2 million baht (US$593,142) — more than four times the same period last year.
Fans from all over the world have queued for hours outside her enclosure, forcing keepers to limit Moo Deng observation time to five minutes each.
The zoo has set up a round-the-clock livestream of the hippo’s enclosure to ease waiting times and for fans who cannot visit in person.
A two-month-old female pygmy hippopotamus named Moo Deng is pictured at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi Province, Thailand, on Thursday.
Photo: EPA-EFE
It is also hoping Moo Deng fever spurs further merchandise sales, launching a pygmy hippo-themed T-shirt line last week. At 300 baht, or US$9 a pop, it is currently only available at the zoo itself.
“We have outsourced a company to help us produce Moo Deng products, like T-shirts and trousers,” the zoo’s spokesperson said, adding any Moo Deng-generated profits would go toward improving facilities for all the zoo’s animals, not just its star moneymaker.
“Income will be used to maintain the zoo.” the spokesperson said.
The hype has prompted animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to post a statement on its Web site saying “there’s nothing cute about a baby being born in captivity.”
Endangered pygmy hippos are native to West Africa, and there are only an estimated 2,000 to 2,500 left in the world, the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
