A baby hippo is sending fans into a frenzy in Thailand.

As BBC News reports, Moo Deng – a name that translates as “whirling pig” – is a two-month-old female pygmy hippopotamus who is going viral online and attracting queues at a zoo near the city of Pattaya.

The number of visitors has doubled since her birth in July, according to Khao Kheow Open Zoo.

But the zoo’s director urged people to use caution when going to see Moo Deng after videos emerged showing visitors abusing the animal.

“These behaviors are not only cruel but also dangerous,” Narongwit Chodchoi said in a statement posted online.

“We need to protect these animals and make sure they have a safe and comfortable environment.”

Videos on social media show some visitors throwing shellfish and even splashing water at Moo Deng to keep her from sleeping.

Mr Narongwit said the zoo has installed CCTV cameras around the enclosures and threatened legal action against those abusing the baby hippo.

The best time to visit Moo Deng is when she is awake, he added.

Pygmy hippos, also known as dwarf hippos, are native to West Africa and are listed as “endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Experts believe there are fewer than 3,000 left in the wild.

The tiny size of this particular hippopotamus and its sculpted proportions have caused a frenzy on the internet.
“Obsessed with Moo Deng – been thinking about this queen all day,” wrote one user on X.

Another said: “I don’t know anything else going on in the world right now except Moo Deng.”

Khao Kheow Open Zoo, located about 100 kilometers southeast of Bangkok, has certainly capitalized on the hype surrounding the famous hippo.

Since she was born, 128 of the zoo’s last 150 social media posts have been about Moo Deng.

A range of merchandise – including a hippo-inspired shirt and pant combo – is now available for purchase at the zoo and online.

Other well-known companies are also trying to make money.