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Viral videos show Moo Deng biting her zookeepers, but that’s nothing new for the global sensation

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2 months ago

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Viral videos show Moo Deng biting her zookeepers, but that’s nothing new for the global sensation

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You know her, you love her, the internet can’t get enough of her.

Moo Deng, the bouncy baby pygmy hippo that took pop culture by storm, has put eastern Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo on the map, even prompting the facility to build and expand roadways to accommodate the influx of international visitors.

Born June 10 to mother Jona and father Tony, Moo Deng is the seventh child of the hippo couple and sibling to another famous hippo, Moo Toon. With a name translating to “bouncing pig,” her charm has proven all but irresistible to netizens and beyond.

An abundance of tummy rolls and pink chubby cheeks are obvious reasons to love Moo Deng. But some have begun to wonder − is there a more scandalous side to this seemingly wholesome little baby? Is she hiding something from us all? What about all those videos of her biting people? Is she nice to service workers when she goes out to eat?

A handful of viral videos have shown Moo Deng squaring up at her zookeeper when he enters her enclosure, leading to some speculation that she may be one of those heroes you don’t want to meet.

Will these videos prove a PR crisis for Moo Deng? Here’s what we know about her behavior in some of the most viral clips about her.

Who’s that baby hippo on your timeline: Meet the wet, chubby ‘lifestyle icon’ captivating the internet

Moo Deng: A star entering her villain era?

Some have wondered: will Moo Deng’s propensity for diva behavior get her canceled? Will her scandals outshine her merits? Is her star destined to fall instead of shine thanks to her love of chomping down on people?

If you know anything about the internet’s love for Moo Deng, that’s not likely. In fact, her “sassiness,” as fans call it, is part of her charm.

Moo Deng’s original rise to virality wasn’t just about her adorable, chubby looks − it was also about that feisty ‘tude. The internet can’t get enough of the baby hippo’s cuteness or her tendency to cause a bit of chaos in a very familiar child-like way.

Some of the most popular and recirculated clips of Moo Deng feature her stomping about, nipping her handler, wriggling and fighting her bath time and traipsing around with her mouth wide open to let the world know she’ll do it all again.

All this to say, Moo Deng is a typical strong-headed toddler, just a little chubbier and more slippery, and people couldn’t love it more.

Why does Moo Deng love to bite? Is it because she’s stressed?

Why does Moo Deng seem to bite her keeper so much? Is she just mean or chomp-happy? And why does her mom never seem to care?

Some users online have speculated that Moo Deng is so often caught biting because she is being handled too frequently or roughly by zookeepers, expressing concern over her enclosure and the pressure of all the visitors and attention she is getting. PETA has also made posts commenting on her captivity, a move the Thai Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals criticized while defending Moo Deng’s care.

Users pointed out that the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) pygmy hippo care guidelines advise against much direct contact, citing how dangerous the animals become after about one year of age.

However, others who have reported visiting the zoo defended the facility, highlighting that it was the first in Thailand to join the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), an accrediting agency that sets and maintains standards for captive animal care.

Checking Moo Deng’s 24/7 live stream will also show that she is only handled for short periods of time each day when her keeper enters the enclosure to feed her mom, defenders pointed out. Because wild monkeys native to the area like to sneak in and chow down on food meant for the zoo’s animals, her keeper hangs out in the enclosure until mom has had ample chance to finish her meal.

He also uses that time to bond with the baby, Atthapon Nundee told the New York Times. “For the mental health, I build trust with Moo Deng by engaging in conversation” and by interacting with her physically, he told the Times.

His guess as to why Moo Deng has adopted biting his knees as one of her favorite pastimes? She’s likely teething, he told the Times. And she just happens to have a personality that is much for “bouncy and really feisty” than her siblings.

Between the tantrums, fights over bathtime and grumpy teething behavior, Moo Deng’s behavior is probably sounding pretty familiar to all the parents out there. Her fits, however, are part of bringing money and attention to a bigger cause − with less than 3,000 pygmy hippos left in the wild, the conservation and captive breeding programs at Khao Kheow Open Zoo and similar organizations play a role in the effort to keep the species alive.

Once Moo Deng grows up, it’s likely she’ll behave more maturely, like her mom or big siblings. Her fans, however, can’t help but hope she holds on to at least a little of that signature sassy attitude.

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