Moo Deng's meet-and-greet times shortened for safety reasons

GGazing at rosy-cheeked Moo Deng, a two-month-old pygmy hippo who has made a name for herself on the internet, has become perhaps the Thai people's favorite pastime. And with her newfound fame, Moo Deng has gained the support of Thailand Sephora, which released an ad showing people how to apply blush like the famous hippo.

But sometimes fame comes at a price. The opportunity to see the cute little creature will now be more difficult as the Khao Kheow Open Zoo has decided to limit the time people can see the baby hippo for safety reasons.

Going forward, according to a new policy the zoo announced on Saturday, visitors will have a 5-minute window to see Moo Deng, whose name means “jumping pig” or “pork meatball,” and will only be able to visit her on weekends. The Thai zoo apologized for the inconvenience.

The new regulations were introduced after there were reports of visitors behaving inappropriately near Moo Deng – throwing shellfish, water and other objects at the newly spotted baby hippo.

Visitors flocked to the zoo after viral videos featuring Moo Deng, who was born on July 10, garnered tens of millions of views on TikTok. Fan pages for the tiny four-legged baby hippo have also been created on other social media platforms such as X. Narongwit Chodchoy, director of Khao Kheow Open Zoo, says the number of zoo visitors has increased by at least 30%.

Chodchoy previously said of objects being thrown at Moo Deng: “This behavior is not only cruel but also dangerous.” He also said Thursday that he would consider taking legal action against visitors who do not cooperate. The zoo has installed surveillance cameras to ensure Moo Deng is safe.

Pygmy hippos are smaller than the common hippo and are less aquatic. Their bodies secrete a pink fluid that gives the animal a wet appearance to prevent sunburn, according to the San Diego Zoo. They are an endangered species, with only about 3,000 or even fewer remaining in the wild.