Current:Home > MyMoo Deng casts her 'vote' in presidential election. See which 'candidate' she picked. -OceanicInvest
Moo Deng casts her 'vote' in presidential election. See which 'candidate' she picked.
View
Date:2025-04-13 08:23:56
A wet, chubby baby hippopotamus has cast her "vote" in on the U.S. presidential election.
Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippopotamus at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, was presented with two fruit baskets made to look like cakes this week, one with Democratic candidate Kamala Harris' name and the other with Republican candidate Donald Trump's name.
In a video shared by Khao Kheow Open Zoo on X, both cakes are placed in Moo Deng's pen, surrounded by a crowd of eager guests. The video depicts Moo Deng slowly walking up to her fruit basket of choice and before long, she's munching and crunching on the Trump cake.
Moo Deng's mother, on the other hand, chose the fruit bearing Harris' name.
Who is Moo Deng?
Nearly four months old, Moo Deng has taken social media by storm during her short time on earth. Videos and photos of the baby hippo yelling at her zoo keepers, resting in a water bucket and enjoying a bath have garnered millions of views this summer. And Khao Kheow Open Zoo boasts more than 132,000 followers on X.
Born on July 10, Moo Deng's name means "bouncing pig" in Thai. Her mother is Jona, 25, and her father is Tony, 24. She has two siblings, Pork Stew and Sweet Pork. Moo Deng is also the granddaughter of Thailand's oldest hippo, Malee, who is 59 years old, according to previous USA TODAY reporting.
Pygmy hippos, often thought of as the smaller cousin, are about half the size of common hippos, weighting less than one-fourth of a full-sized common hippo, according to the Pygmy Hippo Foundation. Pygmies are native to West Africa and their average life expectancy is 27 years.
In 2016, pygmy hippos were deemed an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A 1993 survey conducted by IUCN found that only about 2,000-3,000 pygmies remained worldwide.
A new pygmy on the block? Meet Haggis.
Moo Deng is no longer the only pygmy hippo looking for social media fame.
On Oct. 30, a female pygmy calf named Haggis was born at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's Edinburgh Zoo to parents Otto and Gloria, according to a news release shared by the institution.
“While Thailand’s Moo Deng has become a viral global icon, it is important to remember that pygmy hippos are incredibly rare," Jonny Appleyard, hoofstock team leader at Edinburgh Zoo, said in the release. "It is great to have our own little ambassador right here in Edinburgh to connect with our visitors and help raise awareness of the challenges the species face in the wild.”
Appleyard added that Haggis is "doing really well" and her personality is already starting to shine.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.
veryGood! (485)
Related
- Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
- Nurse labor dispute at Hawaii hospital escalates with 10 arrests
- Father turns in 10-year-old son after he allegedly threatened to 'shoot up' Florida school
- BLM Plan for Solar on Public Lands Sparks Enthusiasm and Misgivings in Different Corners of the West
- Average rate on 30
- Gunman in Colorado supermarket shooting is the latest to fail with insanity defense
- Connie Chung on the ups and downs of trailblazing career in new memoir | The Excerpt
- Donne Kelce Says Bonding With Taylor Swift Is Still New for Her
- A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
- Former FTX executive Caroline Ellison faces sentencing
Ranking
- Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
- Colorado grocery store mass shooter found guilty of murdering 10
- Policing group says officers must change how and when they use physical force on US streets
- Southeast US under major storm warning as hurricane watch issued for parts of Cuba and Mexico
- 'Most Whopper
- How to Watch the 2024 People's Choice Country Awards and Live From E!
- As he welcomes Gotham FC, Biden says “a woman can do anything a man can do,” including be president
- How red-hot Detroit Tigers landed in MLB playoff perch: 'No pressure, no fear'
Recommendation
Nearly 400 USAID contract employees laid off in wake of Trump's 'stop work' order
Video captures bear making Denali National Park sign personal scratching post
Brie Garcia Shares Update on Sister Nikki Garcia Amid Artem Chigvintsev Divorce
St. Johnsbury police officer pleads not guilty to aggravated assault
Don't let hackers fool you with a 'scam
Fantasy football buy low, sell high: 10 trade targets for Week 4
Why Fed rate cuts may juice the stock market and your 401(k)
What Each Sign Needs for Libra Season, According to Your Horoscope