Thousands celebrate baby hippo Moo Deng’s first birthday at a Thailand zoo
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Watch as Moo Deng, Thailand’s Viral Pygmy Baby Hippo, Celebrates Her First
Thousands of fans gathered at Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo Thursday to celebrate the first birthday of Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippo. “I just loved her so much and decided, you know what, I have three or four days off of work, I can make it work,” said Molly Swall, who traveled from New York for the Associated Press. “That’s exactly what I did,” said Moo, “I will only be there for about 30 hours, but that’s enough to go see Moo,” she said. “It’s like a game of whack-a-mole,” said another fan. “You have to be able to go in and out of the same place at the same time,” said a third. “There’s no way of knowing what’s going to happen next,” said one fan, “you just have to go with the flow.” “I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of these before,” he said, “and I’ve seen a lot of them.”
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Thousands of fans gathered at Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo Thursday to celebrate the first birthday of Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippopotamus whose viral antics have captivated audiences around the globe.
The four-day birthday event, which brought visitors from all over the globe, saw Moo Deng and her mom Jona presented with a huge tropical fruit platter ‘birthday cake’ which they both happily tucked into.
Why It Matters
Moo Deng’s playful “temper tantrums” have captured the hearts of fans around the world since she was born on July 10, 2024.
But her viral videos have done more than bring a smile to the faces of thousands of fans, they have also helped to raise awareness of pygmy hippos, which remain critically endangered, and the work being done on species conservation. They have also generated significant revenue and support for the zoo and its endangered species breeding programs.
What To Know
Several of pygmy hippo’s most dedicated American fans even decided to jump on a plane and fly thousands of miles to help her celebrate her first birthday.
“I just loved her so much and decided, you know what, I have three or four days off of work, I can make it work to fly to Thailand,” said Molly Swindall, who traveled from New York for the celebrations, told the Associated Press. “I will only be there for about 30 hours, but that’s enough to go see Moo Deng. And that’s exactly what I did.”
Baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng eats fruit presented for her first birthday celebration at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng eats fruit presented for her first birthday celebration at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Sakchai Lalit/AP
Baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng eats fruit presented for her first birthday celebration at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng eats fruit presented for her first birthday celebration at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Sakchai Lalit/AP
Baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng eats fruit presented for her first birthday celebration at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng eats fruit presented for her first birthday celebration at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Sakchai Lalit/AP
FILE -Two-month-old baby hippo Moo Deng and her mother Jona are seen at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File) FILE -Two-month-old baby hippo Moo Deng and her mother Jona are seen at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File) Sakchai Lalit/AP
Swindall was among the 12,000 visitors who flooded into the zoo on Thursday to snatch a glimpse of the birthday girl.
Fans sung “happy birthday” and snapped photos of Moo Deng, who seemed unphased by all the extra attention.
The zoo even held online auctions to allow people to sponsor the hippo’s birthday, with all the proceeds going to raise funds for the zoo.
Who is Moo Deng?
Moo Deng was born on July 10, 2024, to mother Jona and father Tony at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, Thailand. She quickly stood out with her rosy cheeks and mischievous personality, garnering millions of views after her keepers began posting her antics online.
The public chose her name—meaning “bouncy pork”—via social media poll, fitting within her family’s tradition of pork-themed names. Moo Deng is the seventh calf from her parents and shares her enclosure with siblings possessing similar monikers.
Her fame has inspired a slew of Halloween costumes, fan art, and even her own catchy pop song, released by GMM Music. Comedian Bowen Yang depicted Moo Deng in an “SNL” skit, echoing her widespread popularity.
What Zoo is Moo Deng At?
Moo Deng resides at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, approximately two hours east of Bangkok. The facility spans about 800 hectares and is home to over 2,000 animals, including critically endangered species such as the pygmy hippopotamus.
Even as daily numbers have returned to pre-fame levels, the zoo credits Moo Deng both with boosting visitor admissions and generating additional support for its breeding and conservation initiatives. Her enclosure has become the centerpiece, adorned with signs and keepsakes for tourists and fans. Zoo officials have partnered with companies to sell Moo Deng-themed merchandise and even trademarked her name to ensure funds benefit animal care.
How Big Will Moo Deng Get?
Pygmy hippopotamuses are significantly smaller than their common hippo cousins, but still impressive in size. Adults typically measure between two and a half and three feet tall at the shoulder and grow about five feet in length, with a weight range of 350 to 600 pounds.
What People Are Saying
Zoo director Narongwit Chodchoy told the Associated Press on Thursday, “Moo Deng is a representative of all wild animals, and she helps everyone understand the roles of zoos. She speaks for all nearly extinct animals, and turns people’s attention to their conservation.”
Attapon Srihayrun, Director of the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand, told Newsweek: “Moo Deng’s meteoric rise to fame was extremely unexpected, but it’s been really wonderful to see increased interest in the zoo and learning about the animals.”
Thea Chavez, who flew into Thailand from Houston, Texas, to visit Moo Deng, told AP, “Moo Deng is my happy pill, and she’s my energy pill, my curing pill. She’s my vitamin!”
The Khao Kheow Open Zoo announced on Facebook, “She’s an icon, an idol & our ultimate bestie. Today we’re celebrating Moo Deng’s 1st birthday!”
What Happens Next
Moo Deng’s legacy continues to expand, with recent announcements of a limited-edition collectible toy and a multi-lingual pop song further cementing her place as a global pop culture icon.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
Moo Deng Celebrates Her First Birthday: Inside the 4-Day Bash Attracting Thousands
The world-famous pygmy hippo celebrated her first birthday July 10. The four-day party kicked off at her home in Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo. Thousands of fans flocked to the zoo to witness the adorable hippo take a few naps, munch on watermelons and vegetables.
Moo Deng has marked a major milestone.
The world-famous pygmy hippo, who became a beloved internet fixture last year and even inspired a Bowen Yang impersonation on Saturday Night Live, celebrated her first birthday July 10, kicking off a four-day party at her home in Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo.
To commemorate the occasion, Moo Deng—whose name is Thai for “bouncy pork” or “bouncy pig”—will enjoy four days of events, including a 44-pound hippo-sized cake.
During the first day of celebration, thousands of the Moo Deng’s fans flocked to the zoo to witness the adorable hippo take a few naps, munch on watermelons and vegetables and enjoy a hose shower, according to NBC News.
The zoo—director Narongwit Chodchoy previously said has seen attendance quadrupled as a result of the animal’s popularity—also celebrated alongside their beloved friend by wishing her a happy birthday on social media.
“HBD bouncing pig,” the zoo wrote in a July 9 Instagram post translated from Thai. “Cute doesn’t change at all. Since the first day until now, cute as before.”
Beloved baby hippo Moo Deng celebrates first birthday at a Thailand zoo
Thousands of excited fans flocked to a Thai zoo on Thursday to celebrate the first birthday of Moo Deng. Children under 12 years old can enter the zoo, about a two-hour drive from the capital Bangkok, for free throughout the extravaganza. Zoo director Narongwit Chodchoy said the number of visitors reached 12,000 on the first of four days of activities marking the hippo’s birthday. The zoo held an auction for the honor of sponsoring her birthday cake, which went for 100,000 baht ($3,065) for her first birthday on July 10, 2025 in Pattaya, Thailand. The baby hippo soared to stardom shortly after she was born, largely thanks to her keeper, Atthapon Nundee, who shared adorable pictures and videos of the baby Hippo on social media. “Moo Deng is my happy pill, and she’s my energy pill, my curing pill. She’s my vitamin!” one fan from Houston, Texas said.
The Khao Kheow Open Zoo was overrun with Moo Deng fans on the first of four days of activities marking the hippo’s birthday. Children under 12 years old can enter the zoo, about a two-hour drive from the capital Bangkok, for free throughout the extravaganza.
Excited fans
Many of Moo Deng’s fans flew miles to see her.
Moo Deng (R), a 1-year-old female pygmy hippo who became a viral internet sensation, eats birthday cake with her mother at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province on July 10, 2025. CHANAKARN LAOSARAKHAM/AFP via Getty Images
Among them was Molly Swindall, who traveled from New York for the celebrations. She was seen handing a tray of food to a zoo keeper for Moo Deng’s breakfast, which the baby hippo and her mother Jona quickly devoured.
“I just loved her so much and decided, you know what, I have three or four days off of work,” Swindall said. “I can make it work to fly to Thailand. I will only be there for about 30 hours, but that’s enough to go see Moo Deng. And that’s exactly what I did.”
By Thursday afternoon, the number of visitors reached 12,000, zoo director Narongwit Chodchoy said. Despite the noise of visitors calling out for her attention, Moo Deng appeared peaceful as she took a dip in a pond in her enclosure.
Fans photographed the baby hippo with their cameras or cell phones and sang “Happy birthday” as her birthday cake, made of a variety of fruits and vegetables, was placed near the pond.
Moo Deng eats a fruit topped cake with her mother Jonah during a celebration for her first birthday at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo on July 10, 2025 in Pattaya, Thailand. T Lauren DeCicca / Getty Images
“Moo Deng is my happy pill, and she’s my energy pill, my curing pill. She’s my vitamin!” said Thea Chavez, who flew in from Houston, Texas.
Another fan, Jennifer Tang from Malaysia, leaned over the enclosure to take pictures.
“She makes me happy. Whenever I’m stressed at work I pull up photos of Moo Deng,” Tang said. “So my whole office knows that I’m here … They let me take a week off.”
The zoo held online auctions to celebrate Moo Deng’s birthday, with photos, footprints and a food container on offer to raise funds for all the animals under their care.
They also held an auction for the honor of sponsoring her birthday cake, which went for 100,000 baht ($3,065.)
A star baby hippo
Moo Deng soared to stardom shortly after she was born, largely thanks to her keeper, Atthapon Nundee, who shared adorable pictures and videos of the baby hippo on social media. Atthapon keeps Moo Deng’s fans updated on fun hippo moments — how she squirms as he tries to wash her, bites him as he tries to play, or calmly closes her eyes as he rubs her belly.
The name Moo Deng, which literally means “bouncy pork” in Thai, was chosen by fans via a poll on social media. It matches the names of her other siblings: Moo Toon (stewed pork) and Moo Waan (sweet pork). There is also another hippo at the zoo named Kha Moo (stewed pork leg).
Moo Deng’s first birthday was celebrated at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo on July 10, 2025 in Pattaya, Thailand. Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images
The zoo — which sits on 800 hectares (almost 2,000 acres) of land and is home to more than 2,000 animals — saw spikes of visitors since shortly after Moo Deng was born. But Narongwit said the number of visitors has somewhat dropped since the height of Moo Deng’s fame. He said the zoo has had about 2,000 visitors during a weekday and around 5,000 during weekends over the past few months — about half the numbers it saw at its peak.
“Moo Deng is a representative of all wild animals, and she helps everyone understand the roles of zoos,” Narongwit told The Associated Press. “She speaks for all nearly extinct animals, and turns people’s attention to their conservation.”
What to know about pygmy hippos
The zoo also runs breeding programs for many endangered species, including the pygmy hippopotamus. The species is native to West Africa, where it is threatened by poaching and loss of habitat. There are only 2,000 to 3,000 left in the wild. Pygmy hippos are now found in the wild in only four countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. The species is threatened by logging, farming and increasing human development.
Moo Deng, shown here in 2024 just a couple of months after her birth, is seen with her mother in an enclosure at Khao Kheow Open Zoo. Carola Frentzen/picture alliance via Getty Images
Pygmy hippos are one of just two hippo species, according to the African Wildlife Foundation. The large/common river hippo is the third-largest living land mammal, after elephants and white rhinos. Pygmy hippos can grow to weigh more than 600 pounds, while a river hippo may weigh up to 10 times more than a pygmy hippo, according to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
Besides the size difference, the pygmy hippo is also less aquatic than the common hippo, according to the San Diego Zoo. Their toes are less webbed, and they also have just one pair of incisors, while the common hippo has two or three.
Pygmy hippos are largely nocturnal animals, according to experts. Their average life span ranges from 30 to 50 years.