(Thailand) – Moo Deng, the internet-famous pygmy hippo, turned one this week—and her birthday party at Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo drew over 12,000 fans on one day alone.
Born on July 10, 2024, Moo Deng went viral for her playful charm and became a global sensation. To celebrate, the zoo hosted a four-day festival featuring parades, livestreams, and a 44-pound tropical fruit cake shared with her mom, Jona.
Fans bid thousands at a charity auction—her old bathtub sold for $1,530, while her footprint cast went for nearly $21,000. Proceeds go to endangered species conservation, as fewer than 3,000 pygmy hippos remain in the wild.
