Current:Home > StocksMoo Deng casts her 'vote' in presidential election. See which 'candidate' she picked. -Aspire Capital Guides
Moo Deng casts her 'vote' in presidential election. See which 'candidate' she picked.
View
Date:2025-04-19 10:39:44
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 gcross@gannett.com.
veryGood! (33)
Related
- Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
- The IRS is sending 125,000 compliance letters in campaign against wealthy tax cheats
- Small plane crashes on golf course at private Florida Keys resort; 1 person injured
- Got COVID? CDC says stay home while you're sick, but drops its 5-day isolation rule
- The Louvre will be renovated and the 'Mona Lisa' will have her own room
- Kate Spade Outlet Slides into Spring with Chic Floral Crossbodies Starting at $49, Plus an Extra 25% off
- Man being evicted shoots, kills Missouri police officer and process server, police say
- U.S. health officials drop 5-day isolation time for COVID-19
- The city of Chicago is ordered to pay nearly $80M for a police chase that killed a 10
- Caitlin Clark's scoring record doesn't matter. She's bigger than any number
Ranking
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- More than 100,000 mouthwash bottles recalled for increased risk of poisoning children
- Returning to Ukraine's front line, CBS News finds towns falling to Russia, and troops begging for help
- Kindness across state lines: Immigrants' kids in Philly are helping migrants' kids in Texas
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Death of Jon Stewart's dog prompts flood of donations to animal shelter
- Kate Winslet's 'The Regime' is dictators gone wild. Sometimes it's funny.
- Elle King Returns to the Stage After Drunken Dolly Parton Tribute Incident
Recommendation
New data highlights 'achievement gap' for students in the US
CVS and Walgreens to start dispensing the abortion pill in states where it's legal
IHOP debuts new Girl Scout Thin Mint pancakes as part of Pancake of the Month program
Have the Courage To Wear a Full Denim Look This Spring With Coach’s New Jean-Inspired Drop
Taylor Swift makes surprise visit to Kansas City children’s hospital
Australian spy chief under pressure to name traitor politician accused of working with spies of foreign regime
Elon Musk sues OpenAI and Sam Altman, claiming stark betrayal of the AI company's mission
Trove of ancient skulls and bones found stacked on top of each other during construction project in Mexico