Only a month after the adorable baby hippo Moo Deng was unveiled on Facebook, her fame became unstoppable both domestically and internationally.

Moo Deng, which literally means "bouncy pork" in Thai, is a type of meatball. The name was chosen by fans via a poll on social media, and it matches her other siblings: Moo Toon (stewed pork) and Moo Waan (sweet pork). There is also a common hippo at the zoo named Kha Moo (stewed pork leg).

Moo Deng is seen with her mother Jona at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province Thailand Sept 18 2024 The

CHONBURI, Thailand (Reuters) – Thailand’s latest internet celebrity, baby hippo “Moo Deng”, is challenging her keepers with the unexpectedly big crowds she is drawing to her zoo, two hours south of the capital Bangkok.

"Moo Deng" is seen with her mother Jona at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, Sept 18, 2024. The new star of Khao Kheow Open Zoo, a female dwarf hippopotamus named "Moo Deng", which means "bouncy pork", was born on July 10, 2024. She went viral on social media recently for her cute look and energetic vibe. [Photo/Xinhua]

He never imagined Khao Kheow Open Zoo’s newborn pygmy hippo would become an internet megastar within weeks. Two-month-old baby hippo Moo Deng walks at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand,