Cartoon for first story (AR cartoon by Jonathan Hill)

From The Asian Reporter, V34, #12 (December 2, 2024), page 4.

By Brian Melley

The Associated Press

AR cartoon by Jonathan Hill

LONDON — The Edinburgh Zoo last month launched a cuteness contest between Haggis, its newborn pygmy hippo, and Moo Deng, the adorable mini hippopotamus that became a viral sensation at a Thailand zoo this summer.

"Moo Deng? Who deng?" the Scottish zoo playfully posted on the social media platform X as it introduced its infant hippo to the world.

The smack talk pitted two critters with more in common than just being females calves of the same endangered species. They’re also named for meat products that don’t typically carry cute connotations.

Haggis, the national dish of Scotland that is the butt of many jokes, is made in a sheep’s stomach filled with spiced and diced innards. Moo deng is a type of meatball that means "bouncy pork" in Thai.

Moo Deng, a pudgy, pink-cheeked pygmy hippo, quickly became a social media star about two months after being born at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in July. Videos of her went viral and she was the source of endless memes.

The Thai zoo planned to copyright and trademark the hippo’s name and capitalize on its fame by making shirts, pants, and other merchandise to support its operations.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is also looking to cash in on its prize pygmy with a drawing promising the winner a "unique pygmy hippo experience" to meet Haggis and her parents, Gloria and Otto. Tickets are 5 British pounds ($6.50) and the zoo raised more than half its 15,000 pound ($19,500) target in a day.

"Prepare to fall in love with wee Haggis," the zoo said. "With her playful nature, Haggis will show you why the world has fallen in love with pygmy hippos!"

There are only an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 pygmy hippopotamuses in the wild in West Africa, where it is threatened by poaching and loss of habitat.

Edinburgh Zoo visitors have not yet been able to see Haggis, who was born October 30, because the hippo house was closed during the first month of her development.

After using Moo Deng’s fame to draw attention to Haggis, the zoo apologized for creating a rivalry.

"We were wrong to pit Haggis and Moo Deng against each other," the zoo said in a later post. "There is space in this world for two beautiful pygmy hippo divas and we should celebrate them all."

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PRIZED PYGMY HIPPO. Baby hippo Moo Deng and her mother Jona are seen at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, in these September 19, 2024 file photos. (AP Photos/Sakchai Lalit, File)

From The Asian Reporter, V34, #12 (December 2, 2024), page 4.

BANGKOK (AP) — In case you can’t get enough of the little pygmy hippo Moo Deng from Thailand, there’s now an official song featuring the internet’s favorite baby animal — released in four languages for her global fans.

The upbeat 50-second song "Moodeng Moodeng," available in Thai, English, Chinese, and Japanese versions, features simple lyrics like "Moo Deng Moo Deng, boing boing boing / Mommy mommy, play with me." Its music video consists of short clips of the baby hippo bouncing, playing with her keeper, or hanging out with her mom Jona.

The catchy number was produced and written by well-known Thai composer Mueanphet Ammara, and released by one of Thailand’s largest music companies, GMM Music.

Moo Deng — the name literally means "bouncy pork," a type of meatball, in Thai — became a global phenomenon just a month after she was unveiled on Facebook by the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand’s southern Chon Buri province.

Fans say her name compliments her chaotic personality. Moo Deng likes to "deng," or bounce, and her giddy bouncing has appeared all over social media in countless memes. Her image has been used by sports teams and businesses.

The hippo, now more than 4 months old, has drawn a huge amount of visitors to the zoo, which is about a two-hour drive from the capital of Bangkok. The zoo estimated it has received 3,000 to 5,000 visitors a day on average in the past few months, and it’s selling clothes, bedding, and other merchandise based on Moo Deng.

Zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi has said the increasing income from Moo Deng will help its breeding programs for many endangered species like the pygmy hippopotamus, which is threatened by poaching and loss of habitat. The species is native to West Africa and there are only 2,000 to 3,000 of them left in the wild.

The zoo sits on almost 2,000 acres of land and is home to more than 2,000 animals.

All four versions of the Moo Deng song are available on YouTube and streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music.

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