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Meet Moo Deng, the viral pygmy hippo who gives off major chaotic lesbian energy
The internet is OBSESSED with her and we totally get why!
If you thought Chappell Roan has had a meteoric rise to fame, she has nothing on a tiny baby hippo who is quickly taking over TikTok.
Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippopotamus from Thailand who has quickly become a viral sensation, has been booked, busy, and racking up views all over social media.
But who is this adorable creature who has wormed her way into the hearts of millions?
The two-month-old pygmy hippo was born on July 10 and named by 20,000 children and tourists on Facebook who chose Moo Deng, which translates to “bouncy pig” or “pork patty” — a fitting name for the exuberant pink-cheeked, chubby baby hippo.
After being born, Moo Deng has experienced the kind of fame stars like Madonna and Taylor Swift experience, with a video of the hippo eating and having its cute little butt patted by a zoo keeper garnering over 33 million views on TikTok.
@khamoo.andthegang ฮิปโปโตไวมาก #hippo #ขาหมูแอนด์เดอะแก๊ง
People’s obsession with Moo Deng has inspired a flurry of memes and fan art, and videos taken of her at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province in Thailand have racked up millions of views.
The videos, many of which are shot by her handlers, feature the pygmy hippo eating, playing, and getting a bath. Not only is she so adorable that she’s giving us cute aggression but she’s also a joy to watch because you can already see her personality in her videos. She’s playful but also has a tendency to be bitey with her handlers and loves to romp around, causing chaos.
Honestly, this is the kind of chaotic lesbian representation we’ve been looking for!
She’s become so popular that Sephora Thailand is selling blush by using the slogan, “Wear your blush like a baby hippo,” alongside a picture of Moo Deng and her rosy cheeks. Maybe she’s a femme?
Moo Deng’s rise to fame hasn’t come without pitfalls. She’s become so popular that the zoo recently had to reduce viewing hours for the little hippo because guests’ behavior has gotten so out of control. There have been reports that visitors have been throwing shellfish, water, and other objects at Moo Deng, according to Time Magazine.
See, Chappell Roan was right when she called fans out for “being weird” after people got aggressive and overstepped normal boundaries.
Now, visiting hours for Moo Deng have been limited to five minutes for each viewing and only on Saturday and Sunday.
“These behaviors are not only cruel but also dangerous,” zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi said, NBC News reports. “We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment.”
Moo Deng is a Pygmy hippo, which means she looks like a miniature version of a regular hippo, but according to the San Diego Zoo, pygmy hippos are less aquatic than their larger counterparts, which means that she has a longer neck and rounder head and her eyes aren’t on top of her head, all of which help to give Moo Deng her signature adorable look. Pygmy hippos also have thin skin that dehydrates quickly so they ooze out a pink fluid. See, even her goo is lesbian-coded!
Sadly, they are also an endangered species, and less than 3,000 remain in the wild. But that’s even more reason to love and learn more about his silly and cute baby hippo.
Keep scrolling for some of our favorite Moo Deng memes!
Ariel Messman-Rucker is an Oakland-born journalist who now calls the Pacific Northwest her home. When she’s not writing about politics and queer pop culture, she can be found reading, hiking, or talking about horror movies with the Zombie Grrlz Horror Podcast Network.
Ariel Messman-Rucker is an Oakland-born journalist who now calls the Pacific Northwest her home. When she’s not writing about politics and queer pop culture, she can be found reading, hiking, or talking about horror movies with the Zombie Grrlz Horror Podcast Network.
