Baby hippo hype in Thailand: A year in the life of Moo Deng

Moo Deng (right), probably the most famous dwarf hippo girl in Thailand, is being celebrated in style: Her first birthday is being celebrated at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo near the capital, Bangkok. The party will last for four days. To celebrate, Moo Deng gets a "birthday cake" made from fruit, leaves and vegetables — bon appétit!

Moo Deng at 2 months old: Photos, videos and, above all, memes with her funniest facial expressions have gone viral around the world. Even though Moo Deng has shed her baby charm, she is still loved by many fans. Her name, which means "jumping pig" and is also a well-known Thai street food dish, was chosen in a vote by about 20,000 Facebook users.

You can't do without a daily shower! No matter what Moo Deng's daily routine looks like, all of her activities are lucrative for the zoo. Special mementos have already been sold at auction, including a footprint of the little hippo and her bathtub. The zoo reported that the footprint alone fetched the equivalent of about €18,000 ($21,000).

The birth of the pygmy hippo in 2024 proved to be a boon for the tourism industry in Thailand, which had been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, enthusiasm for the cute hippopotamus has kept the tills ringing.

When it comes to marketing Moo Deng, there are no limits to the merch: hippo key rings, cuddly toys with Moo Deng's pink cheeks, shirts and mugs with her face, as well as calendars and bags. The zoo itself is actually not very well-known, but it still attracts numerous visitors.

More than 10,000 visitors have already scribbled good wishes with hearts and declarations of love on a birthday wall in the zoo.

Moo Deng seems to be taking the hustle and bustle in stride, relaxing in the pool with her mom, Jonah.