Where to get your Moo Deng fix in the U.S.
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Ruka, ZooTampa's pygmy hippo calf, shortly after her birth earlier this year. Photo: Courtesy of ZooTampa
The whole world is falling in love with Moo Deng, a precocious 2-month-old pygmy hippo calf at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand.
State of play: If you can't stop consuming Moo Deng viral videos and memes, you don't have to travel halfway around the world to get your hippo fix in real life. Even though pygmy hippos are endangered, with fewer than 2,500 left in the wild, there are a few calves living in the U.S.
The backdrop: Zookeepers started posting videos of Moo Deng — her name means "bouncy pig" in Thai — shortly after her birth, capturing her often-chaotic runs and bites, and the internet very quickly did its thing.
- "It was beyond expectation. I wanted people to know her. I wanted a lot of people to visit her, or watch her online, or leave fun comments. I never would've thought [of this]," keeper Atthapon Nundee told the AP.
- She was even the subject of a "Weekend Update" segment on "Saturday Night Live," equating her fame to the meteoric rise of pop star Chappell Roan.
History lesson: William Johnson Hippopotamus — or simply, "Billy" — was President Calvin Coolidge's pet and moved from the White House to D.C.'s Smithsonian National Zoo in 1927.
- He's the common ancestor of most pygmy hippos living in American zoos today.
Meet a few of Moo Deng's American counterparts:
Ruka, ZooTampa, 6 months
Ruka was born on March 31, becoming the fifth pygmy hippo calf born at ZooTampa.
Her name means "to hop" in Swahili, showing that Moo Deng isn't alone in her bounciness. The zoo said she likes to get into "marvelous mischief" and has a "spicy demeanor."
- ZooTampa tells Axios that Ruka is a strong swimmer, spending most of the day in her pool with her mom, Zsa Zsa. She's still nursing but is also enjoying her own diet of wild herbivore grain, produce and romaine lettuce.
Petunia, Metro Richmond Zoo, 22 months
Petunia was born on Dec. 6, 2022, and was Metro Richmond Zoo's second pygmy hippo calf.
In keeping with a theme, the zoo described Petunia as "confident, brave, and spunky." More than 18,000 people took part in a poll to name her (just narrowly edging out Dumplin').
- For her first swim, keepers lowered the water level in her pool to keep her head out of the water and help her stay comfortable — gradually raising it to build up her confidence.
Ptolemy, Franklin Park Zoo (Boston), 4 years
Ptolemy, the Franklin Park Zoo's youngest pygmy hippo, turned 4 on Friday. He didn't generate an avalanche of memes when he was born in fall 2020, but he was still stinking cute.
Born to mom Cleopatra, Ptolemy was named after the Egyptian queen's youngest son. The zoo has recently posted throwback videos thanks to Moo Deng mania, like this one of 1-year-old Ptolemy with the zoomies.
Axios' Mike Deehan, Sabrina Moreno and Anna Spiegel contributed reporting.
