Current:Home > MyMoo Deng casts her 'vote' in presidential election. See which 'candidate' she picked. -Blueprint Money Mastery
Moo Deng casts her 'vote' in presidential election. See which 'candidate' she picked.
View
Date:2025-04-16 18:08:06
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 [email protected].
veryGood! (4211)
Related
- Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
- Have a $2 bill hanging around? It could be worth thousands of dollars
- Judge says Maine can forbid discrimination by religious schools that take state tuition money
- Will the attacks on Walz’s military service stick like they did to Kerry 20 years ago?
- Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
- Injured Ferguson police officer wanted to improve department ‘from the inside,’ ex-supervisor says
- Baby formula recalled from CVS, H-E-B stores over high Vitamin D levels: See states impacted
- Fall in Love with Disney X Kate Spade’s Lady and the Tramp Collection: Fetch Deals Starting at Just $29
- Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
- Prince William, Princess Kate congratulate Great Britain's Olympic team
Ranking
- Former Syrian official arrested in California who oversaw prison charged with torture
- Have a $2 bill hanging around? It could be worth thousands of dollars
- Country Singer Parker McCollum Welcomes First Baby With Wife Hallie Ray Light
- 50 best friend quotes to remind you how beautiful friendship really is
- Trump suggestion that Egypt, Jordan absorb Palestinians from Gaza draws rejections, confusion
- 'Unbelievably good ending': 89-year-old missing hiker recovered after almost 10 days
- Julianne Hough Reveals Real Reason Ryan Seacrest Romance Didn't Work
- Black bear mauls 3-year-old girl in tent at Montana campground
Recommendation
Current, future North Carolina governor’s challenge of power
Officer faces murder charge in shooting of pregnant Black woman who was accused of shoplifting
Katie Couric says CBS' decision to replace Norah O'Donnell with 2 men is 'out of touch'
What is compassion fatigue? Experts say taking care of others can hurt your mental health.
Meet first time Grammy nominee Charley Crockett
Former Cornell student gets 21 months in prison for posting violent threats to Jewish students
Fans go off on Grayson Allen's NBA 2K25 rating
Katie Couric says CBS' decision to replace Norah O'Donnell with 2 men is 'out of touch'