As well as being cute, animals can also be formidable cash machines. Some, like Moo Deng, Grumpy Cat or Choupette, have become influencers in their own right – much to the delight of the Internet users who follow them on social networks, and especially that of their owners. With her expressive eyes and chubby figure, Moo Deng has it all.
So it's hardly surprising that this baby pygmy hippopotamus has become an Internet sensation ever since Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo began sharing videos of her on social media. Some of them show the animal, whose name means "bouncy pig,” taking a bath or spending time with her mother, Jona. The zoo where Moo Deng was born quickly recognised the hippo's highly viral potential and decided to make her one of its mascots.
The BBC reports that 128 of the last 150 Khao Kheow Open Zoo posts on social networks have been about Moo Deng. The establishment has also created a range of clothing products bearing the effigy of this semiaquatic mammal, aimed especially at her many fans. Indeed, many visitors are flocking to see Moo Deng in the flesh, rather than on a screen.
"The number of Thai and foreign visitors on Saturday surged to 15,000 from around 2,000-3,000 for the same time last year," said Attaporn Sriheran, director of the Zoological Park Organisation of Thailand (ZPOT), speaking to the Bangkok Post. Brands have also been riding the Moo Deng wave for commercial gain. The Thai subsidiary of the cosmetics retailer Sephora recently ran an ad.
