The popularity of two-month-old pygmy hippo "Moo Deng" is not happenstance. It is the fruit of a laborious and systematic media campaign by the public relations team of Khao Kheow Open Zoo to promote their animals.
The zoo, in Chon Buri province, often provides entertainment activities, such as live music performed by local students. It also created an animal food fund to boost public engagement.
Their efforts reflect the attempt by Thai public zoos to modernise themselves by promoting wildlife, and environmental conservation and education.
At the same time, the existence of these zoo "superstars" shows how difficult it is for these zoos to stay afloat.
The costs of animal food and maintenance have risen while financial support from the government has been cut from 80% of their budget in the past to just 40%. Many zoos were plunged into the red after the Covid pandemic cut visits.
Each year, the Zoological Park Organisation of Thailand (ZPOT) obtains a fiscal budget of around 800 million baht annually to take care of around 6,200 zoo animals and staff at eight state zoos, which is barely enough.
Zoos not only have a duty of caring for caged animals, but also have academic and education purposes to fulfil.
Meanwhile, public zoos in the country cannot raise ticket fees at a whim since increases need permission from a national board.
While more visitors generate much-needed income, these caged "superstars" face pressures and stress to cope with their popularity.
This past week, the zoo needed to limit visiting time as visitors resorted to throwing water bottles and seashells to get attention from the pigmy hippo.
The popularity of Moo Deng may help reassure the Zoological Park Organisation of Thailand that public zoos are relevant to modern society and good for tourism.
However, it does raise the question over whether the popularity of pet zoos leads to better knowledge of nature and wildlife conservation.
Does the love for Moo Deng transpire into awareness of the plight of hippos in forest sanctuaries, at risk of extinction because of deforestation and illegal logging?
Apart from these "superstars", what education programmes can the zoo present to visitors?
Budget constraints force all zoos and their staff to attract visitors, instead of dedicating their time to other, more important tasks, such as breeding animals and raising awareness of wildlife conservation.
Governments simply need to provide more resources to enable these zoos and their staff to provide good care to these animals and educate the public about the importance of wildlife conservation.
It is immoral to rely on these superstar animals alone to help raise money.
Indeed, the government is spending a huge sum of money to build a public zoo on 300 rai of land in Thanyaburi district of Pathum Thani province.
When completed, this zoo, which will cost five billion baht in its first phase, will be a model for future zoos, serving as a conservation and learning centre.
Such moves are good news for public zoos and animal lovers in Thailand.
It is also hoped the government will consider allocating more money to other public zoos across the country.