Viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng celebrates her first birthday
"May you be healthy and bouncy for a long time," the zoo said in an Instagram post celebrating the birthday of Moo Deng, whose name means "Bouncy Pig."
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Moo Deng opens her mouth during a celebration for her first birthday at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo on July 10, 2025, in Pattaya, Thailand. The event is part of a four day festival honoring Thailand’s viral baby pygmy hippo, whose playful personality has captured international attention. (Photo by Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)
July 10 (UPI) -- Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo who took the internet by storm, celebrated her first birthday Thursday at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand.
The zoo said Moo Deng, who became one of the top TikTok trends of 2024, is being treated to a four-day celebration including a 44-pound cake.
"May you be healthy and bouncy for a long time," the zoo said in an Instagram post celebrating the birthday of Moo Deng, whose name means "Bouncy Pig."
The hippo's birthday was celebrated by fans who traveled from all around the world to visit her for her birthday.
"She's an icon and everyone in the world loves her," Molly Swindall, a self-described "mooniac" who traveled to Thailand from New York, told NBC News.
"It's fun to see she's her same old self," Swindall said. "Fame hasn't changed her."
Swindell said it was her third time traveling to Thailand to see Moo Deng.
"I love Moo Deng so much," she said. "I think she brought so much joy to people when there was a lot of toughness and there's still a lot of tough things going on in the world."
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