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[00:00.04]A baby hippopotamus in Thailand

[00:03.64]became famous earlier this year

[00:06.88]when zoo workers published images

[00:09.84]and videos of her online.

[00:13.60]Now the pygmy hippo, named Moo Deng,

[00:18.08]has an official song and video

[00:21.08]released in several languages

[00:23.72]for her fans worldwide.

[00:31.88]Moo Deng lives at Khao Kheow Open Zoo,

[00:36.16]southeast of the Thai capital, Bangkok.

[00:40.08]Zoo worker Atthapon Nundee

[00:43.76]has been posting sweet moments

[00:46.24]of the animal's life for the past few months.

[00:50.68]During that time, the hippo has received

[00:54.68]widespread attention on social media.

[00:58.44]Fans of the animal have expressed

[01:01.80]how they enjoy watching the pink-cheeked baby

[01:05.96]actively interact with her mother

[01:08.92]and other zoo workers.

[01:11.24]Moo Deng – which means "bouncy pork" in Thai

[01:16.40]– is a kind of meatball.

[01:19.04]The name, chosen by fans on social media,

[01:23.00]is similar to those of her two siblings:

[01:27.04]Moo Toon (stewed pork)

[01:30.04]and Moo Waan (sweet pork).

[01:33.44]In addition, the zoo has a common hippo

[01:37.36]named Kha Moo (stewed pork leg).

[01:41.12]Moo Deng's popularity has spread internationally

[01:45.96]and she has gained the attention of

[01:48.56]some professional sports teams.

[01:51.92]Fans say her name fits her lively personality.

[01:57.00]Moo Deng likes to "deng," or bounce,

[02:01.64]and her bouncing behavior has led

[02:04.80]to countless internet memes.

[02:07.84]For example, the German soccer team FC Bayern,

[02:12.84]American basketball team Phoenix Suns

[02:16.76]and the American football team

[02:19.04]Washington Commanders

[02:20.76]have all created Moo Deng memes.

[02:24.96]The images give her interesting things to wear

[02:29.28]and put her in different human-like situations.

[02:34.12]Atthapon, the zoo worker,

[02:37.04]told The Associated Press

[02:39.28]he was surprised the newborn pygmy hippo

[02:43.52]quickly became such a huge internet star.

[02:47.88]"I wanted people to know her," he explained.

[02:52.24]"I wanted a lot of people to visit her,

[02:55.24]or watch her online, or leave fun comments.

[02:59.76]I never would've thought (of this)," he added.

[03:03.64]The widespread publicity

[03:06.36]led a well-known Thai composer

[03:09.36]to write and produce a special song for Moo Deng.

[03:14.76]The lively, 50-second song

[03:17.60]is called, naturally, Moodeng.

[03:27.08]One of Thailand's biggest recording companies,

[03:30.52]GMM Music, released the song.

[03:34.72]A music video that goes along with the song

[03:38.76]shows the baby hippo bouncing around,

[03:42.08]playing with her keeper

[03:43.76]or spending time with her mother, Jona.

[03:47.56]Moo Deng is now four months old.

[03:51.12]She has also been drawing big crowds at the zoo.

[03:55.64]Officials estimated the baby hippo

[03:59.20]has brought in about 3,000 to 5,000 visitors a day

[04:05.24]on average during the past few months.

[04:08.92]The zoo has been selling clothes,

[04:12.20]bedding and other products

[04:14.56]based on Moo Deng.

[04:16.52]The zoo's director is Narongwit Chodchoi.

[04:21.00]He told the AP that the additional earnings

[04:24.96]from Moo Deng will help the zoo's breeding programs

[04:29.08]for many endangered animals,

[04:31.76]like the pygmy hippopotamus.

[04:34.88]Illegal hunting and loss of habitat

[04:38.56]threatens the animal's existence.

[04:41.68]Pygmy hippos are native to West Africa.

[04:45.84]But experts say there are only 2,000

[04:49.88]-3,000 of them left in the wild.

[04:53.64]All four versions of the Moo Deng song

[04:57.88]are available on YouTube

[05:00.16]and on streaming services

[05:02.20]including Spotify and Apple Music.

[05:11.36]I'm Bryan Lynn.

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Words in This Story

bounce – v. to move up or away after hitting a surface

sibling – n. a brother or sister

personality – n. a set of emotional qualities that makes a person different from other people

meme – n. an idea, image, video, etc. that spreads very quickly on the internet

breed – v. reproduce

habitat – n. the natural environment an animal or plant usually lives in