Viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng becomes minor celebrity in Asia

A two-month-old hippo who has been pulling adorable poses for photographers has become an internet celebrity in Thailand.

Moo-Deng has become famous across Asia thanks to her rosy cheeks and little legs, with fans making her cakes and sending her presents.

Businesses have even jumped on the bandwagon with Thai cosmetic brand Sephora telling people to "wear your blush like a baby hippo" when promoting their products.

Born on July 10 and unveiled to the public on July 25 her fame has grown rapidly.

Her name Moo Deng, which was chosen by a popular vote organised by the zoo, roughly translates to "bouncy pig" or "pork patty."

Her fame has come from a TikTok account with more than 2.5 million followers run by the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, Thailand.

Her every move is now documented by the zoo workers and shared on her various social media accounts.

As you might expect, the daily life of a two-month-old hippo involves a lot of eating, sleeping or playing.

The savvy social media strategy by the zoo has led to its number of daily visitors doubling in September and a surge in interest in Moo Deng products, according to Singaporean newspaper The Straits Times.

The paper also reported some visitors splashed water and threw objects at her to make her move.

The incident sparked an outcry online and led to the zoo vowing to investigate and installing CCTV around Moo Deng's enclosure.

Native to West Africa, pygmy hippos are an endangered species and is only one of two species of hippopotamus, the other being its much larger cousin, the common hippo.

They are nocturnal by disposition and live in forests, their rarity and difficulty to find have made them a tough animal to study.

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