Moo Deng, just shy of her 1st birthday, lives at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand.
Moo Deng debuts fancy, temporary eyebrows
The famous pygmy hippo, Moo Deng, was munching on a tray of vegetables in her enclosure, when the keeper put pieces of leaves on her head.
The world’s favorite pygmy hippopotamus is stunning in a new, all-natural look.
Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo who first stole hearts last summer, is going viral once again for videos and photos showing her sporting two green leaves as eyebrows, captured by zoo attendees on May 31. Watch the video above.
Moo Deng is known for making a mess of her food dishes, stomping around and flinging platters full of veggies all over herself. But her new look was done on purpose. Moo Deng’s zoo keeper at Khao Kheow Open Zoo told Newsflare that he placed the pieces of leaves on the hippo for a bit of fun, removing them later.
Khao Kheow Open Zoo did not immediately respond for comment about the “eyebrows” when contacted by USA TODAY on June 5.
Who is Moo Deng?
Just shy of her first birthday (July 10), Moo Deng lives at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Bang Phra, Thailand. She gained popularity last summer for countless videos of her yelling at zoo keepers, resting in water buckets and enjoying baths in the sun.
In Thai, Moo Deng’s name means “bouncing pig.” Born to Jona, 25, and 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.
What are pygmy hippos?
Thought of as the smaller cousin, pygmy hippos are about half the size of common hippos, weighing 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.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
