It makes sense that, in a year where human beings have had to cope with everything from natural disasters to war to the density of internet advertising, we’ve turned our obsession to an intense baby pygmy hippo named “Moo Deng” in Thailand.
The hilariously expressive Moo Deng (which means “bouncing pig” in Thai) seems to spend most of her time howling or looking like she’s seen too much—which in 2024 is completely relatable. This is the same recipe that once made a very grumpy looking cat go viral back in 2012, and it’s working—Khao Kheow Open Zoo’s caretaker TikTok account now has 2.7 million followers.
Some love Moo Deng because the lil’ gal looks like she’s on the verge of a nervous breakdown. This vibe makes total sense in a world where a convicted felon also happens to be running for a second (second!) presidential term.
Intense expressions aside, though, people are also seeing Moo Deng as a celebrity already. There’s fan art of her.
She has already been featured by Sephora Thailand, and people making lookalike cakes of her have sold out of their stock. Clever internet denizens are calling for her to appear on classic YouTube franchises like Hot Ones. Some are thinking even bigger than that, envisioning Moo Deng going up against Godzilla or replacing E.T. from the ’80s classic E.T. The Extraterrestrial.
Then there are just good old classic memes of Moo Deng, which are delightful because—let’s face it—we can’t get enough of her. Sometimes, when the doomscrolling gets to be just a little too much, you need a little eyebleach in your life (even though politics has some good memes too).
Moo Deng is a national treasure, y’all. Maybe now people will think of more than just pad thai when they think of Thailand.