Viral baby hippo, Moo Deng, from Thailand is facing harassment from visitors

The viral baby hippopotamus from Thailand, Moo Deng, is being harassed by some fans. There have been multiple incidents of Zoo visitors throwing objects at the endangered pygmy hippo to attract attention. The two-month-old baby hippo is an internet sensation with millions of fans across the world.

The baby hippo's security has been heightened to avert such incidents, and it can't step out of the enclosure at Khao Kheow Open Zoo without hundreds of cameras trained on it.

All about the viral baby hippo

Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo, was born months ago, but her popularity increased multi-fold on social media in a short span of time. The two-month-old pint-sized creature went viral this week after her handlers shared videos of her on TikTok and Instagram from her home at a zoo in Chon Buri, Thailand.

It didn't take long for netizens to shower love towards the baby hippo for her cheeky expressions and playful frolicking. Many of her videos have garnered nearly millions of views and have lured thousands of visitors.

Her name, Moo Deng, means ‘bouncy pork’ in Thai. In many videos, Moo Deng can be seen sticking close to her mother enjoying meals of carrots, bananas, corn and runner beans.

Moo-Deng harassment

As thousands of visitors flock to the zoo to catch a glimpse of the cute baby-hippo, many even go to the limits of throwing objects and even pouring water to grab her attention.

Several videos, available online, show some visitors at the zoo throwing objects at Moo-Deng. One of the tourists even poured water on the hippo. To curb such actions, the zoo management authority has issued a warning to visitors threatening legal action against for mistreating the celebrity resident.

"These behaviours are not only cruel but also dangerous," zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi said in a statement posted online. “We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment.”