The science of Moo Deng

Hardly anyone knew about Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo that recently became an internet sensation. Then renowned local and international media outlets like Time magazine, the BBC, The Guardian and Forbes have featured cute stories about Moo Deng.

"She's an Icon, She's a Legend and She is the Moment," reads Time magazine.

Although people may have seen viral videos of Moo Deng bouncing around, there's more to know about the pygmy hippopotamus than that.

Interesting facts about the lesser-known pygmy hippo

Moo Deng was born on July 10 to mother Jona (25 years old) and father Tony (24 years old). She is their seventh baby.
Moo Deng means Bouncy Pig, a name chosen by visitors due to her adorable, childlike behaviour when interacting with the zookeeper.
Of two hippo species alive today, the pygmy hippopotamus is less known than its counterpart, the common hippopotamus. Pygmy hippos are significantly smaller than common hippos, with their body being half the size and their weight only a quarter of their larger counterpart.
Both species share similar features, such as a wide-open mouth, a short and cylindrical body, and short thick legs. However, there are distinct differences. Pygmy hippos have eyes positioned towards the front of their face compared to the side-placed eyes of common hippos.
Moreover, the back of pygmy hippos is greenish black, the sides grey and belly pale grey. Additionally, their toes are more spaced out and feature sharp nails, while common hippos have webbing between their toes.
Pygmy hippos are generally found in West Africa, mostly Liberia, specifically in Sapo National Park. However, they also can be found in Sierra Leone and Guinea.
Pygmy hippos are herbivores which means they mainly eat leaves, grass and fruits, and unlike common hippos, they are solitary or stay as a pair rather than live in herds.
Pygmy hippos are shy and usually run away instead of fighting. When frightened, they tend to seek refuge in dense forest rather than diving into water. However, if they are in danger, they might try to intimidate predators by opening their mouth wide to reveal formidable teeth.

Their habitat includes rivers and swamps within dense rainforests. They emerge from the water at night, following paths through the undergrowth, creating tunnel-like trails.
Their lifespan in zoos ranges from 30 to 50 years, which is longer than what would be expected in the wild.
Pygmy hippos reach sexual maturity between the ages of three and five years. They can mate both on land and in water.
Pygmy hippos are a critically endangered species. There are fewer than 2,500 of them left in the wild. They have become endangered because their habitats are being destroyed by logging, mining and farming. Pygmy hippos are also hunted by humans.
Their gestation period lasts 190 to 210 days and newborns weigh 4.5kg to 6.2kg. Newborn pygmy hippos are weaned at six to eight months of age.
The two-month-old Moo Deng will stop bouncing when she is five to six months old. The length of fully grown pygmy hippos ranges from 1.5m to 1.75m from the tip of the nose to the tail. Their shoulder height is 75cm to 100cm and they can weigh from 106kg to 270kg.

Moo Deng.

After Moo Deng's arrival, the number of visitors to Khao Kheow Open Zoo has increased from 800 to 900 visitors per day to 3,000 to 4,000 on weekdays and over 10,000 on weekends. When disappointed visitors see Moo Deng sleeping instead of bouncing around, they splash water on her or toss pieces of shell at her.
Narongwit Chodchoy, Khao Kheow Open Zoo director, urged people to come to see Moo Deng during certain hours. He also asked people to refrain from shouting and throwing objects at animals. To ensure the safety of the animals, CCTV was installed and the number of staff during peak hours has been increased. Any act of animal cruelty will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
To visit Moo Deng, the zoo recommends visitors come between 8am and 9am. That is when the zookeeper cleans the enclosure and Moo Deng can often be seen bouncing around, especially while it is being showered. Another recommended time is at 2pm when mother Jona is being fed and Moo Deng is bouncing around her. After that, they usually rest and laze in the water.
Visitors are divided into groups of 30 to 50. Each group will have a five-minute session with Moo Deng. If visitors want more time, they can queue for another turn.
Khao Kheow Open Zoo has also set up 24/7 livestreaming so fans can watch Moo Deng whenever they want.
Other places where people can see baby pygmy hippos are Ubon Ratchathani Zoo and Khon Kaen Zoo.

Information from dusit.zoothailand.org, zoo.sandiegozoo.org, Khaosod Online and Spacebar Media TH YouTube channel.