Current:Home > reviewsMoo Deng casts her 'vote' in presidential election. See which 'candidate' she picked. -Achieve Wealth Network
Moo Deng casts her 'vote' in presidential election. See which 'candidate' she picked.
View
Date:2025-04-19 03:31:38
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! (9)
Related
- 'We're reborn!' Gazans express joy at returning home to north
- Here's where the economy stands as the Fed makes its interest rate decision this week
- India's Narendra Modi sworn in for third term as prime minister
- 10 members of NC State’s 1983 national champions sue NCAA over name, image and likeness compensation
- Intel's stock did something it hasn't done since 2022
- 4-legged lifesavers: Service dogs are working wonders for veterans with PTSD, study shows
- Part of Wyoming highway collapses in landslide, blocking crucial transit route
- Ariana Grande's Ex Dalton Gomez Goes Instagram Official With Girlfriend Maika Monroe
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- 2024 Men's College World Series teams: Who has punched a ticket to Omaha?
Ranking
- Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
- DePaul University dismisses biology professor after assignment tied to Israel-Hamas war
- 6-year-old killed in freak accident with badminton racket while vacationing in Maine
- Salt Lake City Olympic bid projects $4 billion in total costs to stage 2034 Winter Games
- Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
- These states have made progress in legal protections of the LGBTQ+ community: See maps
- Human remains found in former home of man convicted in wife's murder, Pennsylvania coroner says
- Who's in the field for the 2024 US Open golf championship?
Recommendation
Intel's stock did something it hasn't done since 2022
Camila Cabello Shares Inspiration Behind Her “Infinite Strength” in Moving Speech
Naomi Watts and Billy Crudup get hitched a second time: See the gorgeous ceremony
Pennsylvania Senate passes a bill to outlaw the distribution of deepfake material
Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Selling Their Los Angeles Home Amid Breakup Rumors
Maren Morris comes out as bisexual months after divorce filing: 'Happy pride'
Are the hidden costs of homeownership skyrocketing?Here's how they stack up