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It’s been over six months since the birth of Moo Deng, but the little hippo’s overwhelming popularity shows no signs of abating.
Born in July this year, Moo Deng is part of a family of pygmy hippopotami that live at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand.
She’s characterised by her lively personality and can usually be seen lying in her food bowl, gumming on her zookeeper’s knee or silently screaming with a wide open mouth. Her eyes wide and her cheeks permanently rouge, she has been described as looking constantly “mortified” in pictures.
Moo Deng’s popularity is quickly making her most famous viral animal of the 2020s. She follows the likes of Grumpy Cat, Doug the Pug and the late, great Harambe in terms of her virality.
But according to London Zoo, pygmy hippos have always had a certain star factor to them. “When Whipsnade Zoo, our sister zoo, opened in 1931, the accounts from the time highlight the popularity of pair of pygmy hippos who arrived on 28 and 31 July — describing them as a favourite of visitors from the start,” says a spokesperson for ZSL London Zoo.
Black and white pictures from back in 1931 show the two hippos peacefully lying together on the grass, looking like Moo Deng’s long lost ancestors.
Meanwhile, in current day, there is only one pygmy hippo currently living at London Zoo, a female called Amara. Amara was introduced to the zoo in February 2023 and is “quite cheeky” in her personality, as well as being “very people oriented”. Sound familiar?
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The hope is to produce London’s very own Moo Deng by finding Amara a mate once she comes of age. She was introduced to London Zoo’s male pygmy hippo, Thug, when she first came over from Edinburgh Zoo last year.
A report from the time says Amara was “enthusiastically welcomed” by the 26-year-old male Thug, according to London Zoo’s pygmy hippo keeper Poppy Jewell.
“Unsurprisingly, Thug - whose name is a purposefully ironic one as he is actually a gentle giant - was really excited about having a new lady in his hippo hot tub, while Amara was cool, calm and collected; she's definitely going to have the upper hoof in the relationship.”
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“All the signs we’ve seen so far has been really encouraging and in a few years’ time, when Amara comes of age, we have our fingers crossed we’ll hear the trot-trot of tiny pygmy hippos,” the 2023 report said.
Sadly, Thug died earlier this year before being able to father any children. However, the hope continues for Amara, with London Zoo “awaiting confirmation on plans to introduce a new potential mate.”
This will help aid in the conservation of the secretive and rare species, of which experts estimate there are only only about 2,500 left in the wild worldwide. So don’t worry, the Moo Deng London dream isn’t out of sight quite yet.
In the meantime, a baby pygmy hippo named Haggis has been born in Scotland, only a quick flight or simple train journey away. Just in case you were feeling a little impatient.
