Moo Deng has become a household name, known for her signature sass and chubby cheeks, and she has taken the internet by storm.
The baby pygmy hippo from Thailand quickly won over online fans after her birth on June 10 at a zoo near Bangkok. Her playful personality has garnered millions of views on social media and attracted a surge of visitors to the zoo.
While some may make the 17-hour journey from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to Bangkok, Thailand, to see the internet-famous pygmy hippo, there’s an Arizona zoo that also features pygmy hippos closer to home.
What is a pygmy hippo?
According to the Pygmy Hippo Foundation , a pygmy hippo is essentially a smaller version of the common hippopotamus. Native to Africa, this species stands at half the height of a regular hippo and weighs less than a quarter of a full-sized counterpart.
The Pygmy Hippo Foundation describes the species on its website as “nocturnal and reclusive,” adding that their behavior remains largely unknown due to their elusive nature and dwindling population.