Mo Deng, a two-month-old female pygmy hippo who recently became a viral phenomenon on the internet, stands next to her mother, Juna, 25, at the Khao Kiho Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, on Sunday.
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A baby pygmy hippo at a Thai zoo quickly became a global internet sensation after the zoo began posting videos of him. But zoo officials say the increased attention has led to bad behavior from some visitors.
Photos of two-month-old Mo Deng have gone viral on social media, with the Utah Jazz including the hippo in their photo gallery. job About the team’s opening home match. Sephora Thailand celebrated Mo Deng’s fame by publishing Social Media On how to “wear your blush like a little hippo”.
It also attracted a significant increase in visitors to the Khao Kheoi Open Zoo in Chonburi, Thailand. However, zoo officials have limited visits due to water being poured and objects thrown at it by visitors. Posted on social media Over the weekend, zoo officials said visitors would only be able to see Mo Ding for five minutes on Saturday and Sunday.
Visitors look at Mo Deng next to her mother, Jona, 25, at Khao Kiew Open Zoo on Sunday.
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Zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi issued a statement last week warning of legal consequences for those who harass the beloved hippo.
“These behaviors are not only cruel, they are dangerous,” he said. According to the Thai nation“We must protect these animals and make sure they have a safe and comfortable environment.”
Why is it so popular?
Mo Ding was seen at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo on Sunday. Zoo officials have warned visitors against bad behavior around animals.
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Mo Ding was born on July 10 and gained fame after the zoo began posting videos on social media of her eating and even opening the door. Her mother, Jona, is 25 and her father, Tony, is 24. According to the zooShe is the seventh hippo born to her parents at the zoo.
A TikTok page A dedicated account for the zoo’s animals, which has more than 2.7 million followers, has shared videos of Moo Deng, with hippo fans’ videos also getting millions of views on Instagram.
Its name, which means “renegade pig,” was chosen by more than 20,000 visitors through an online vote and open In late August.
The pygmy hippopotamus is an endangered species, with only about 2,000 to 2,500 mature individuals remaining as of 2015, according to IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTheir numbers continue to decline, as they are hunted for their meat and their habitat is destroyed. The Pygmy Hippopotamus Foundation saysIt is smaller than the common hippopotamus and is found mainly in West Africa in countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast.
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