Current:Home > MarketsMoo Deng casts her 'vote' in presidential election. See which 'candidate' she picked. -SecureNest Finance
Moo Deng casts her 'vote' in presidential election. See which 'candidate' she picked.
Burley Garcia View
Date:2025-04-11 03:14:17
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! (7)
Related
- Juan Soto praise of Mets' future a tough sight for Yankees, but World Series goal remains
- 20 years later, 'Love Actually' director admits handwritten sign scene is 'a bit weird'
- In a year of book bans, Maureen Corrigan's top 10 affirm the joy of reading widely
- Attacks in 2 Texas cities leave 6 dead, 2 officers wounded; suspect in custody
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- Live updates | Dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza grow worse as Israel widens its offensive
- Off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot indicted on 84 charges in alleged attempt to shut down plane's engines mid-flight
- Norman Lear, legendary TV producer, dies at age 101
- Current, future North Carolina governor’s challenge of power
- Australian Parliament rushes through laws that could see detention of freed dangerous migrants
Ranking
- SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
- Jimmy Kimmel honors TV legend Norman Lear: 'A hero in every way'
- Taylor Swift Reveals Her Intense Workout Routine for the Eras Tour
- Death of Florida plastic surgeon's wife under investigation after procedures at husband's practice
- McConnell absent from Senate on Thursday as he recovers from fall in Capitol
- Russia rejected significant proposal for Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan's release, U.S. says
- Shannen Doherty says she learned of ex's alleged affair shortly before brain tumor surgery
- Norman Lear, producer of TV’s ‘All in the Family’ and influential liberal advocate, has died at 101
Recommendation
A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?
See Gigi Hadid and Irina Shayk Step Out to Support Bradley Cooper—and You'll Want Fries With These Pics
Australian Parliament rushes through laws that could see detention of freed dangerous migrants
2-year-old Arizona boy dies from ingesting fentanyl; father charged in case
John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
Maryland attorney general wants new hearing in gun licensing case
Taylor Swift is TIME's 2023 Person of the Year
Police: Suspect dead amid reports of multiple victims in shooting at University of Nevada, Las Vegas