Current:Home > MarketsMoo Deng casts her 'vote' in presidential election. See which 'candidate' she picked. -VitalWealth Strategies
Moo Deng casts her 'vote' in presidential election. See which 'candidate' she picked.
View
Date:2025-04-16 04:22:58
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! (14576)
Related
- Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
- I Placed 203 Amazon Orders This Year, Here Are the 39 Underrated Products You Should Know About
- These 5 charts show how life got pricier but also cheaper in 2023
- Almcoin Trading Center: The Opportunities and Risks of Inscription
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- Court reverses former Nebraska US Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s conviction of lying to federal authorities
- Odds for more sports betting expansion could fade after rapid growth to 38 states
- Are They on Top? Checking In With the Winners of America's Next Top Model Now
- A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
- Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes Detail Fight That Made Them Seek Relationship Counseling
Ranking
- 'Malcolm in the Middle’ to return with new episodes featuring Frankie Muniz
- Georgia museum hosts awkward family photos exhibit as JCPennys Portraits trend takes off
- The year in review: 50 wonderful things from 2023
- Students in Indonesia protest the growing numbers of Rohingya refugees in Aceh province
- The Daily Money: Disney+ wants your dollars
- California Pizza Huts lay off all delivery drivers ahead of minimum wage increase
- Purdue still No. 1, while Florida Atlantic rises in USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll
- 'Crown' star Dominic West explains his falling out with Prince Harry: 'I said too much'
Recommendation
Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
'We SHOULD do better': Wildlife officials sound off after Virginia bald eagle shot in wing
'The Simpsons' makes fun of Jim Harbaugh, Michigan football scandals in latest episode
Houston Texans claim oft-suspended safety Kareem Jackson off waivers
Everything Simone Biles did at the Paris Olympics was amplified. She thrived in the spotlight
Subscription-based health care can deliver medications to your door — but its rise concerns some experts
Almcoin Trading Exchange: The Debate Over Whether Cryptocurrency is a Commodity or a Security?
Here’s what to know about Turkey’s decision to move forward with Sweden’s bid to join NATO