Meet Mudeng, the Adorable Baby Hippopotamus Taking Asia by Storm

Breeding at Thailand’s ‘Khao Keow Open Zoo’, a cute baby hippopotamus is gaining explosive popularity in Thailand and other Asian countries, especially on social media.

According to local media outlet Bangkok Post, British broadcaster BBC, and daily Guardian, the female pygmy hippopotamus born in June at the Khao Keow Open Zoo near Pattaya, Thailand, was named Mudeng, which means “bouncy pig”.

Videos of Mudeng’s small, chubby, and cute appearance are spreading through social media such as TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, becoming very popular.

The number of visitors to the zoo has nearly doubled since Mudeng was born, as more and more people flock to see her. As a result, the zoo recently limited the viewing time per person to 5 minutes to manage the large crowds.

The zoo is selling a variety of products online, including shirts and pants featuring Mudeng. Sephora, a global beauty shop, is also selling a ‘baby hippo blusher’ cosmetic product inspired by Mudeng.

Global media is also reporting on Mudeng’s popularity, with the American weekly news magazine Time covering her under the title, “She is an icon and a legend”.

“The moment I saw Mudeng being born, I set my sights on making Mudeng famous,” said Mudeng keeper Attapon Nundy (31). “I thought Mudeng might become famous in Thailand, but I never thought she would become famous internationally.”

However, as the number of visitors increases, there are increasingly concerning behaviors from visitors, such as spraying water on the sleeping Mudeng to take pictures of her or throwing clams at her to feed her.

In response, the zoo installed closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) around Mudeng’s enclosure and warned that they would take legal action against visitors who abuse Mudeng.

“This behavior is not only cruel, it’s dangerous,” the zoo said in an online statement. “We must protect these animals and ensure they have a safe and comfortable environment.”

The pygmy hippopotamus is a small species of hippopotamus, weighing only 180–280 kg as an adult, about one-eighth of the average hippopotamus.