Fans of Moo Deng, a baby hippo who has taken the internet by storm, have claimed that she is actually “bad” and will become “dangerous” as she grows up.
Moo Deng, or “hopping pig,” is a two-month-old pygmy hippopotamus who lives at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha, Thailand.
The calf has gained global attention in recent weeks after her playful antics and energetic energy made her an unlikely internet sensation.
A recent shorten Uploaded by Chonburi Provincial Zoo staff and reposted by @ask_aubry on X shows the baby hippo “waking up hydrated and choosing violence.”
In the footage, Moo Deng can be seen being rinsed with a hose by a zookeeper in her enclosure, with her mother standing just one meter away.
Fans called baby hippo Moo Deng ‘feisty’ and ‘mean’ after a video showing her playfully nibbling on a keeper went viral.
Moo Deng appears to react strongly to being sprayed with water and retaliates by charging at his handler and biting his leg.
The employee laughs as he records content with his phone before trying to push the slippery calf away, at first without much success.
Moo Deng is relentless as he steps back to take another bite, this time aiming for the keeper’s back as he moves his body away from the calf’s sharp, developing teeth.
In the end, the keeper forces the baby hippo to retreat to nearby trees after lightly slapping its butt with his hand.
More than 480 viewers flocked to the comments to share their thoughts on the “bad” hippo, including individuals who expressed concern about both the animal’s and its keeper’s reactions.
One person wrote, “Moo Deng is kind of mean,” while another said, “Moo is mean… I still think she’s super cute.”
Another commented: “I love these little hippos and their cute bites,” while a fourth gushed: “So feisty.”
Meanwhile, several viewers condemned both the keeper and the zoo for doing little to prevent Moo Deng from developing an “aggressive biting” habit.
Moo Deng appears to react strongly to being sprayed with water and retaliates by charging at his handler and biting his leg.
More than 480 viewers flocked to the comments to share their thoughts on the “bad” hippo, including individuals who expressed concern about both the animal’s and its keeper’s reactions.
One person wrote: “Sitter is encouraging biting behavior for pictures and social media clout lol wait until he grows up.”
A second said: “This little guy appears in several videos and plays hard, like biting the coach.” I wonder if it’s okay to take care of the little one because he might be the same when he grows up. It would be very dangerous.’
Another warned: “It looks cute but it will be more dangerous.”
It comes as a new makeup trend sees young people trying to look more like hippos, as they strive to capture the glow of baby pygmy hippo, Moo Deng.
Internet makeup moguls are eagerly dabbing their cheeks with vibrant pink and charcoal gray as they try to recapture the popular hippo’s swampy look.