Current:Home > StocksMoo Deng casts her 'vote' in presidential election. See which 'candidate' she picked. -FutureWise Finance
Moo Deng casts her 'vote' in presidential election. See which 'candidate' she picked.
View
Date:2025-04-14 03:58:03
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! (798)
Related
- Meta releases AI model to enhance Metaverse experience
- North Carolina insurance industry proposes average 42% homeowner premium increase
- A ‘highly impactful’ winter storm is bearing down on the middle of the US
- Months after hospitalization, Mary Lou Retton won't answer basic questions about health care, donations
- The Louvre will be renovated and the 'Mona Lisa' will have her own room
- CNN anchor Sara Sidner reveals breast cancer diagnosis, tears up in emotional segment
- California inmate killed in prison yard. Two other inmates accused in the attack
- Police name dead suspect in 3 Virginia cold cases, including 2 of the ‘Colonial Parkway Murders’
- Stamford Road collision sends motorcyclist flying; driver arrested
- US moon lander encounters 'anomaly' hours after launch: Here's what we know
Ranking
- Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
- Massive winter storm moves across central US, bringing heavy snow, winds: Live updates
- Ryan Reynolds Celebrates Emmy Win With Instagram Boyfriend Blake Lively
- Nicholas Alahverdian extradited to US four years after faking his death. What to know.
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Explosion at Texas hotel injures 11 and scatters debris across downtown Fort Worth
- 'Suits' stars reunite at Golden Globes without Meghan: 'We don't have her number'
- Jury selection to begin in trial of man who fatally shot Kaylin Gillis in his driveway
Recommendation
Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift and More Besties Prove Friendship Always Wins at the Golden Globes
Stock market today: Asian shares advance following Wall Street rally led by technology stocks
Massive winter storm moves across central US, bringing heavy snow, winds: Live updates
See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
Ohio teacher undergoes brain surgery after 15-year-old student attacks her
Latest on FA Cup after third round: Arsenal eliminated, seven EPL teams in replays
'Scientifically important': North Dakota coal miners stumble across mammoth tusk, bones