Moo Deng the endangered baby pigmy hippo has waded into hearts across the world for all reasons adorable. But, as it is for any celebrity, there is a far less than glamorous side to the spotlight that’s flagged concern for this internet darling’s well-being:
Global (17 September 2024) — A new viral superstar boasts no musical abilities or dancing skills. In fact, if she ever spoke, it’d probably cause everything we know about the world to change forever. Unlike many influencers, Moo Deng is nothing if not the epitome of natural. After all, she is only a two-month-old pygmy hippo.
every girl is beautiful but especially Moo Deng https://t.co/K4f2RzSKuj
— Women Posting W’s (@womenpostingws) September 13, 2024
For reasons you’ve probably assumed after taking one look at Moo Deng (and those blushed cheeks that look like they’re straight out of a cartoon!) it’s obvious that her rise to fame rests on her incredibly adorable and unique appearance. Not to mention the kind of facial expressions that have earned her meme-worthy stardom.
Obsessed with this one baby hippo that looks fucking MORTIFIED pic.twitter.com/ol9S0Nm1ZF
— wholesome moments 🙈 (@creaturefind) September 14, 2024
Based in Thailand at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Moo Deng is actually part of an endangered species as classified by the IUCN Red List. Her rarity is part of the reason people have become absolutely fascinated by the dwarf hippo, coupled of course the fact that she’s the baby of the family.
@khamoo.andthegang นักท่องเที่ยวมาดูเยอะมาก แต่ก็ไม่ตื่นอยู่ดี #hippo #ขาหมูแอนด์เดอะแก๊ง ♬ เรื่องมันมีอยู่ว่า… – sin
After TikTok videos of the dwarf hippo started climbing to millions of views, it was clear that the internet had a new obsession.
im crying good morning moo deng i love you pic.twitter.com/HCUp7K3dWP
— faith⁷ 🇵🇸 (@faitheeyy) September 13, 2024
@khamoo.andthegang คนมาหาเยอะมาก #hippo #ขาหมูแอนด์เดอะแก๊ง #หมูเด้งจะเด้งกี่โมง ♬ เสียงต้นฉบับ – ขาหมู แอนด์เดอะแก๊ง
But, despite the amount of awareness about pigmy hippos Moo Deng has helped spark, concerns towards her well-being have been flagged.
Like any celebrity, Moo Deng boasts fans who want nothing more than to meet her in person. While many of these visitors are well intentioned, others aren’t quite as considerate when it comes to animal welfare.
As the BBC reports, visitor numbers to the zoo have increased dramatically—meaning that her environment is being impacted by excessive human interaction—a far from healthy situation.
@khamoo.andthegang หมูเด้งเต็มtiktokแล้ว ดูของคนอื่นจนลืมโพสของตัวเองเลย 555 #hippo #ขาหมูแอนด์เดอะแก๊ง #หมูเด้งจะเด้งกี่โมง ♬ เสียงต้นฉบับ – My_Name_Is_MANO
Worryingly, as Time shares, some people have attempted to get her attention in all the wrong ways, including throwing food items at the poor little one.
Zoos by nature are already far from an ideal spot for animals, and the less glossy side of fame hardly helps.
While we love Moo Deng as much as the rest of the world, we hope that she is given the environment she deserves to thrive in; not just because she’s a celebrity or endangered, but because she is a life that should be respected.
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