Thailand’s pygmy hippo Moo Deng celebrated her first birthday on Thursday at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, marking the end of an infant stage that once catapulted her into international stardom.

Born in Chonburi province, just two hours from Bangkok, Moo Deng — whose name translates to “Bouncy Pork” in Thai — drew global attention for her playful behaviour and charming appearance. Her antics gained her five million followers across social media platforms.

Festival draws crowds and celebrity fanfare

To mark the milestone, the zoo is hosting a four-day festival, beginning on a Thai public holiday. The event includes a lecture titled “Moo Deng's cheekiness”, while a skincare beautician has reportedly paid $3,000 to sponsor a fruit-topped birthday cake for the hippo.

Handlers also plan to auction her belongings, although it remains unclear what items the young pygmy hippo may have collected in her short time at the zoo.

Hopes for conservation awareness

Zoo officials and conservationists had hoped Moo Deng's fame would raise awareness of her endangered species. The pygmy hippo is native to West Africa, with only around 2,500 remaining globally, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Despite the early attention, Moo Deng’s popularity has since declined. Analytics from social media and search engines suggest her fame peaked in September last year before fading.

Academic insight into fleeting ‘cuteness’

“Moo Deng went viral very quickly when she was born,” said Joshua Paul Dale, a professor at Chuo University in Japan who researches the cultural phenomenon of cuteness.

“Maybe part of our appreciation of cuteness is knowing that it's something that doesn't last very long,” he told AFP.

Her distinctive rose-blushed face inspired viral memes and merchandise including piggy banks, party shirts, and popsicles. The zoo even trademarked her image to capitalise on the craze.

Fame brings ticket boom and comparisons

During her peak, Moo Deng quadrupled ticket sales for the zoo, with her small enclosure livestreamed round-the-clock. She joins a list of animals who enjoyed brief bursts of global fame for their cuteness, such as Australia’s Pesto the penguin and China’s Hua Hua the panda.

Although pygmy hippos can live for 30 to 50 years, Dale predicts Moo Deng may fade from the spotlight as she matures.

“Fans may still remember how unbearably cute she was when she was very, very small and just born,” he said.

“That can kind of continue on and affect our relationship with cute things, even when they grow up.”

With AFP inputs