What’s a Moo Deng?
Adorable animals have never been a new trend found on social media. From Grumpy Cat, to Doge, and many more from the previous decade of the internet, cute and funny animals have controlled the scheme of online entertainment since the beginning. However, a new generation of these newly titled “animal influencers” have deeply impacted the hearts of modern viewers. The most impactful to note is Moo Deng, a pygmy hippopotamus from the Khao Knew Open Zoo in Si Racha, Chonburi, Thailand. Her name translates to “bouncy pig” and is known for her shocked expressions and relatable wishes to be cuddled up and eating.
Many online users have taken her fun, silly and reactive personality with joy. This has helped spread awareness for the endangerment of pygmy hippos such as Moo Deng herself; this is mostly due to recent deforestation and an increase in hunting. The zoo hopes to utilize her newfound fame as a way to increase support for conservative efforts in order to protect Moo Deng’s kind.
Another popular animal influencer to come to recent light is Pesto, a king penguin chick currently living in the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium located in Australia. Pesto became widely popular online for his inexpiably large size during infancy. Due to this overly large size, Pesto is also adorned with fuzzy feathers and recently weighs around 50 pounds. He is currently nine months old and is attracting countless visitors from all over the world. Both animals have been used to create relatable posts with adorable reactions, along with also raising awareness of genuine issues.
It’s safe to say that Moo Deng and Pesto are the internet’s current mascots, and only time will tell how long they can bathe in the spotlight.
