Drawing · Birthday card
A royal birthday card for Moo Deng
Source: @KhaokheowZoo
Zoo resident · 2024
Moo Deng
Moo Deng is a pygmy hippo at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand who became one of the world's most recognizable animals before she was old enough to know what any of that meant. Her bouncing, biting, screaming baby antics inspired fan art, songs, merchandise, memes, and millions of visitors and followers around the world. Two years later, Moo Deng is considerably bigger, a little calmer, and still very much Moo Deng.
From viral baby hippo to enduring zoo celebrity, her story, timeline, and updates.
Overview
- Species
- Pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis)
- Born
- July 10, 2024
- Home
- Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Chonburi, Thailand
- Parents
- Jona and Tony
- Siblings
- Two full siblings Nadet and Moo Tun, and four half-siblings Ko, Kanya, Phalo, and Moo Wan
- Age
- 2
- Name means
- “Bouncy pork” / “bouncy pig” in Thai
- Known for
- Her energetic personality and global fame
Timeline
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July 10, 2024
Moo Deng is born to Jona and Tony at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, Thailand.
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July 25, 2024
The zoo publicly introduces the new pygmy hippo calf. Keeper Atthapon Nundee begins regularly sharing photos and videos of her daily life.
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August 2024
After the zoo asks the public to vote, “Moo Deng” wins. The Thai name is commonly translated as “bouncy pork,” an extremely appropriate name for what happens next.
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September 2024
Photos and videos of the two-month-old hippo bouncing around her enclosure, biting her keeper’s knees, resisting baths, and generally behaving like Moo Deng spread around the world. Within weeks, she is everywhere.
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October 2024
Her fame begins translating into enormous crowds at Khao Kheow Open Zoo. Moo Deng becomes not only an online celebrity but a major tourism draw for Chonburi and Thailand. The zoo’s visitors grew from 85,000 to 300,000.
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November–December 2024
Moo Deng appears in fan art, merchandise, advertisements and even her own song. More importantly, her fame introduces millions of people to the endangered pygmy hippo, a species many had barely heard of before meeting her.
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July 10, 2025
Thousands of fans gather at Khao Kheow Open Zoo for the beginning of a four-day first birthday celebration. Auctions of Moo Deng memorabilia raise money for wildlife conservation and animal care, including a cast of her footprint that sells for 700,000 baht.
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July 10, 2026
Moo Deng celebrates her second birthday with another festival at Khao Kheow Open Zoo. The zoo also unveils its new Hippo Village project, designed to improve the habitats and welfare of Moo Deng and her family.
Moo Deng Through the Years
From tiny troublemaker to slightly larger troublemaker. Moo Deng, then and now.
Recent Highlights
Moo Deng is two now, but life at Khao Kheow is still very much worth checking in on.
On phones, open the posts below to view them in the app or browser.
The Moo Deng Universe
Fan art, music, memorable collaborations, and particularly sticky cultural moments.
In the News
From a two-month-old baby hippo to a global celebrity. A few chapters from Moo Deng’s journey around the world.
Moo Deng FAQ
What kind of hippo is Moo Deng?
Moo Deng is a pygmy hippopotamus, a much smaller relative of the common hippopotamus. Pygmy hippos are native to the forests and wetlands of West Africa and are endangered in the wild.
What does Moo Deng’s name mean?
Moo Deng is a Thai term commonly translated as “bouncy pork” or “bouncy pig.” The name was chosen through a public vote at Khao Kheow Open Zoo.
Why did Moo Deng become famous?
Moo Deng became famous in September 2024 after keeper Atthapon Nundee’s photos and videos of her energetic behavior spread internationally. Her dramatic expressions, tiny size, enthusiastic biting, and apparent objection to almost everything made her instantly recognizable.
Where does Moo Deng live?
Moo Deng lives at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, Thailand, with her mother Jona.
How old is Moo Deng now?
Moo Deng turned two on July 10, 2026.
Is Moo Deng still popular?
Yes. The enormous viral moment of 2024 has passed, but Moo Deng continues to attract visitors and fans around the world. Thousands attended her first birthday celebration in 2025, and the zoo held another multi-day celebration for her second birthday in 2026.
Why is Moo Deng important for pygmy hippos?
Moo Deng introduced an enormous global audience to a species many people knew little about. Pygmy hippos are endangered in the wild, and her popularity has helped bring considerably more public attention to the species and to conservation.
Explore More
More animal personalities, ongoing stories, and very good reasons to keep checking in.
